The Egyptian Tournament
by Invader Sam
Summary: Yugi and Co. are travelling to the land that started it all - Egypt - for the most exciting Duel Monsters Tournament yet! UPDATED! Chapter 40 is up! The final chapter at last! Thanks to all for everything!
1. Chapter 1 Summer Vacation

**A Note From The Authors**: Welcome to our first Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic! We hope you will all enjoy this story! These first two chapters are being put up at the same time because they really belong together as one chapter, but we didn't want the chapters to be too long. Updates will be frequent, as we have most of the story already typed up! BTW, Invader Shaun has helped me write this story, and no, you've never seen him before, mainly because he's never put anything up on fanfic.net before. He's actually my younger brother, but he's more of a Duel Monsters expert and an even bigger Yu-Gi-Oh fan than I am. We hope you enjoy our work! Drum roll, please! [_bum da da dum da da dum dum dum!_]

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Yu-Gi-Oh!

The Egyptian Tournament

By Invader Sam & Invader Shaun

Chapter 1

"Summer Vacation"

It was a warm summer day in mid-June. The school year had ended only two days ago (and the crew had all graduated from whatever grade they're in with passing grades ^_^). Yugi was enjoying the fact that he could sleep in mornings, which is exactly what he was doing that particular morning. 

The Spirit of Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, was wide awake. Not wanting to wake his counterpart, Yami had remained in only his translucent spirit form. He sat on Yugi's windowsill, looking out at the peaceful morning. It seemed hard to believe that only a short month ago, the town of Domino had witnesses the most fearsome attempt at world domination since the days of the Ancient Egyptians! 

Thankfully, it was all over now, but Yami still worried for the future. He had worried when the Battle City Tournament began, that once he saved the world, he would cease to exist in it. But that had not been the case, as he was clearly still in the realm. And he was glad of it. That meant that his only purpose had not been to stop Marik, the holder of the Millennium Rod. His true duty was to guard over his counterpart, to teach and guide him through the obstacles that life would through at him.

Yami cast an affectionate glance over at the sleeping boy, with the same proud smile that a father would have, looking at his son. Yugi had impressed him since the day their bond had begun. He was brave, very bright, and an excellent duelist. And he was slowly growing into a respectable young man. Yami found that this was the most rewarding part of their bond – being able to watch Yugi's transition from childhood into manhood. The Puzzle could not have chosen a more suitable host for the Ancient Pharaoh.

_ BANG! BANG! BANG! _ A violent explosion of noise from the lower level of the card shop interrupted the tranquility of the scene, and nearly caused Yami to lose his perch on the window sill. Yugi stirred quietly, and uncurled from his fetal position. Blinking several times, the young dueling prodigy sat up and yawned loudly. He noticed Yami still watching him, and quickly recovered himself, "Morning, Spirit! What's all the noise?"

"I'm not sure," Yami said, peering out the window. In his spirit form, his head went right through the glass. "It's you're Grandfather," he said, "He's hammering something in front of the store."

"Huh?" Yugi said, climbing out of his bed and hurrying over to the window. He opened it, and Yami was caught a bit off guard as the window went right through him with a rush. "Hey, Grandpa!" Yugi called down.

Solomon Moto looked up from his hammering, "Oh! Yugi! Good morning! I'm sorry if I woke you!" he called back.

"It's okay – I should've been getting up anyway," Yugi said, "What're you doing?"

"What? Oh, this!" Grandpa said, looking over at the sign he was hanging up. From Yugi's elevated spot, he couldn't make out what it said. "Come downstairs! I've got some exciting news!"

"Exciting news?!? I'll be right down!!!" Yugi slammed the window down, right through Yami's hand. Being the over excitable child that he is, Yugi rushed out of the room, still in his pajamas, bounded down the stairs (muttering to himself "Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy,") and skidded out the door.

Yami sighed. Apparently, Yugi wasn't grown up just yet. Wanting to test his abilities as a pure spirit, Yami jumped out of the window and landed behind Grandpa. Yugi had just come running up to his grandfather, trying to see what was behind the poster that the older man was hammering on. "What is it? Let me see it! Come on, Grandpa!"

"Now, now, Yugi – calm down," Grandpa said, holding up a hand, "I would never hide anything from you. Here, just take a look." He stepped aside, letting Yugi see the poster he'd been putting up.

Yugi stared at it, a wide grin spreading across his face. The words "DUEL MONSTERS TOURNAMENT…IN EGYPT!! Come Back To Where It All Started!!" were at the top, above a picture of a large pyramid. Along with that image, drawings on the Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon were set in the bottom corners, their attacks enclosing a box of registration information. "Wow…" Yugi breathed. He leaned in to read the fine print and Grandpa put a hand on his shoulder.

"There's no need to do that, Yugi," he said, "I've got all the information inside."

"Oh, right!" Yugi said, and took off into the Shop, making Grandpa spin like a top in his wake. After a few seconds, he shook off his dizziness and hurried after his grandson.

Yami stayed outside a moment longer, staring at the poster. The pyramid on the poster looked different from any of the pyramids he'd ever seen in books, or could vaguely remember. It appeared unnaturally made, machine-like. He frowned. He wasn't sure why, but this image worried him…nothing good could have erected it. But maybe he was just being paranoid. Time of peace always made him uneasy. 

He shook his head and turned back towards the game shop. Whatever was waiting in Egypt, he could be sure that he, Yugi and all their friends would be leaping willingly to meet it.

* * *

Inside, Yugi was seated at the stool behind the desk of the game shop, looking over the paperwork for the tournament, as Yami walked through the door (literally). 

"Wow, Grandpa! This all looks really cool! Can we go to Egypt? Please!?!?!" Yugi gave Grandpa a very cute, pleading look, eyes wide.

Grandpa smiled gently down upon his impatient grandson, "You know very well that I have to stay here and take care of the shop. But if some of your friends were to go with you…"

Tears formed in the corners of Yugi's eyes. It wasn't often that a parental figure would allow a young teen to take a road trip to Egypt even during the summer. He squeezed Grandpa tightly around the middle in a spontaneous display of affection (perhaps a bit too tightly, as Grandpa began to gasp for air), "Thanks Grandpa! I'm gonna go see Joey right now!" Yugi ran out the door again and Grandpa sighed. _ 'Three… two… one…'_ Yugi came running back in the store, breathing heavily and slightly red. Yami slapped himself on the forehead.

Yugi grinned embarrassedly, "Heh heh… I should get changed first. I'll be um… right back," Yugi walked slowly up the stairs, still red in the cheeks.

* * *

In an apartment across town, Joey Wheeler was sleeping soundly, and snoring loudly. He was sprawled out on his bed, taking full advantage of the time off. But this adorable scene was doomed to end quickly.

_KNOCK!_ _KNOCK! KNOCK! _Joey jolted awake and tumbled out of his bed, getting tangled in the sheets as he fell. "Eh? Wha? Where's the fire?" he mumbled groggily, trying to crawl out from the jumble of sheets.

"Joey!" came Yugi's voice from outside the door, "C'mon! Let me in!"

"Yug?" Joey said, pulling himself out of the sheets, and nearly tripping over them as he made his way to the door. He opened the door, and found Yugi, breathless and all smiles. 

"Um…" Yugi said, getting a good look at Joey, "Were you still sleeping??"

"Well, I was," Joey said, rubbing his eyes, "What're you doing up so early?"

"Early?" Yugi said, cocking an eyebrow, "It's already seven-thirty!"

"Uh…right…" Joey sighed, "C'mon in." He stepped aside and Yugi strode past him into the room. 

The thirteen-year-old boy was dressed in a black T-Shirt with an image of the Dark Magician on it, and khaki shorts. The golden Millenium Puzzle hung around his neck on its chain as it always did. 

"So what's up, Yug?" Joey asked, shutting the door, and crossing the room to pick up his sheets.

"Oh, lots!" Yugi said, "Grandpa just found out that there's gonna be another Duel Monsters Tournament – and it's all the way in Egypt! And he says I can participate if I get some of my friends to go with me! So, will you, Joey?? Please??"

Joey blinked several times and tried to clear his head, "Yug… do you have any idea how we'd even get to Egypt? The airfare alone would cost a fortune! Not to mention where we'd stay and-" The older boy looked down on his friend's disappointed face. The look of sadness was making Joey feel awful. So he continued his little rant, improvising, "But heck with all that! Sure I'll do it Yug! We'll figure somethin' out!"

Yugi smiled, "Alright! C'mon, let's go find Tristan and tell him!" 

Joey's face broke into a grin as well, "Man, I can't wait to wake him up!" The two friends walked away, chatting happily.

* * *

Across town in a completely different side of town, the morning sun was pouring through the windows of Mai Valentine's apartment. The blonde twenty-one-year-old's beauty sleep was interrupted as a pile of envelopes were pushed through the mail-slot on her door. She moaned at the sound and propped herself up on her elbows. Catching site of the mail, she sat up, letting the sheets slip off of her. She was dressed in only her underthings, which were white and sparkly (courtesy of the photo-shoot she'd been working on the night before). 

She crawled across to the edge of the bed, reached down, grabbed the pile of mail, and sat back up. She muttered to herself as she went through it, tossing away what she didn't need. "Junk…junk…crap…ooh! Paycheck!" She set the envelope aside. "Aww…bills. So much for the paycheck…" she placed the next envelope on top of the paycheck. 

The next item in the pile was a folded piece of paper. "Hmm?" She unfolded the paper, and her face lit up. It was the poster for the Egyptian Tournament! Money symbols shone in her eyes as she read it over. "Whoo-hoo!!" she cried, leaping up from the bed, "No more low-paying photo-shoots for me!! This $5 million is just screaming my name!" She hugged the paper excitedly.

* * *

In the building across the street, a bunch of horny teenage guys scrambled for use of the binoculars – trying to get a glimpse of Mai through her open blinds.

* * *

Mai sat back down on the bed, rereading the poster again. "Hmmm…no provided transportation," she sighed, "Guess I'll have to scrape up the money for a plane ticket…" She picked up the newspaper out of the pile of mail and spread it out across the bed, open to the classified ads. 

"Let's see what we've got on the market today," she said scanning over the ads, "Ah! Perfect," she put her finger down on an ad for Victoria's Secret, "Dennis always uses good taste. I think I'll give him a call."

* * *

In the building across the street, the horny guys were now watching (and drooling) as Mai paced around her room, talking on her phone. 

* * *

"So what do you say, Denny?" Mai asked.

"You know I hate it when you call me that," said a young man's voice on the other end of the line. Even through the phone, Mai could tell that Dennis was blushing like a stop-light. 

She grinned, "Sorry – I forgot. So, how 'bout it?"

"I don't see why not," Dennis said, "but you haven't offered your services to us in a long while. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well, you know…" Mai started, but her voice trailed off as she glanced out the window and caught sight of the peeping-toms across the street. She felt her cheeks go hot as she went over to the window. She gave the boys the universal signal for rudeness and then shut the blinds. "Perverted ass-holes," she muttered.

"Huh?" Dennis said.

"Oh! No, not you!" Mai said hurriedly, "Just having some…uh…neighbor troubles…"

* * *

In the building across the street, the teenagers had all spazzed and fallen to the floor when they realized they'd been caught.

* * *

"So I'll see you at three?" Dennis asked.

"I'll be there," Mai nodded, and then hung up. As she set the phone back down on her bedside table, she noticed herself in her full-length mirror. Being flustered never looked good on her, and she hated when it happened. She shook it off and went to get a shower before her appointment with Dennis.


	2. Chapter 2 The News Spreads

Chapter 2

"The News Spreads"

On yet another side of town, in a much more run-down looking apartment building, two boys have also received an advertisement for this new tournament. Not that Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor were yet aware of this fact. Rex was asleep on the couch in just his baggy jeans, floppy socks and red hat. Several "root" beer cans lie on the floor next to him. Weevil was dressed, but still looked as if he would fall asleep at any moment. 

They had both passed 10th grade at Domino High. Weevil was ahead a grade just like Yugi was, and it was a good thing he was as naturally smart as he was. He and Rex, having had to fend for themselves for about the last ten years, had felt that since they had no supervision they were excused from the laws of compulsory school attendance laws in Japan. 

Ever since the government had discovered their situation, their newly assigned social worker had made sure that they attended. This wasn't a problem for the insect master, as he had kept up his studies in his spare time, but Rex had needed some help.

Nevertheless, keeping the landlord from kicking them out was a constant problem, and it was getting close to rent time. Weevil heard the sound of the mail being slipped through the slot of the door, and was of like a shot. _There's got to be a welfare check in here!_ He began to rip through the mail looking for a check. When he got to the advertisement, the child stopped his frantic search and carefully opened it. You could almost here the cashier sounds coming out of his head as he read about the prize money.

"Rex!!! Wake up!" Weevil chucked an empty can (there were plenty of soda and beer cans scattered about the floor) at his sleeping friend, and hit him dead in the face.

"Ow! What??" Rex asked, annoyed, looking up from his spot on the couch. Weevil had better have had a good reason for waking him up. He rubbed his head and sat up, waiting for Weevil's answer.

"Start packing, we're going to Egypt!" Weevil had already begun to scurry around, putting random things in different bags.

"Egypt?? What for??" Rex asked. In response, Weevil tossed a piece of paper at him, which hit him in the face. After sputtering and struggling with it for a few seconds, he pulled it off and got a good look at it. The same cash-register sounds rang in his head as they had in Weevil's. "I see you're point," he said, setting the paper down on the coffee table and jumping up to pack his own things. 

After a long moment, Rex poked his head out of his room and called, "Hey, Weevil?"

"What?" Weevil's blue-haired head popped out of his own doorway.

"How're we gonna get to Egypt??" 

"I'm working on that now," Weevil said, ducking back into his room.

Curious, Rex ventured into Weevil's room, which was one of his least favorite things to do. Weevil's room was a natural insect habitat, with various different bugs crawling or buzzing around. The head roach himself was sitting on the small bed, tapping furiously away at his laptop. Rex looked on as Weevil's printer began to spew out paper. 

Weevil didn't even look up, "Grab that, would you Rex? And watch where you step!" 

The dino duelist carefully made his way over to where the printer was, nearly getting bitten, stung, and caught in a giant spider web. By the time he got to the center of the room, he was very shaken, and sweating. He grabbed up the printer paper and looked it over, trying to ignore the buzzing that was all around him. On the paper were printed out plane tickets for a flight to Egypt!

"Do you think these are really gonna fool anybody?" Rex asked Weevil, holding them out.

"Not yet they won't," Weevil said, walking over to him and taking the paper, "But as soon as I get the measurements, I'll re-print them on special paper I bought in case we ever needed to fake something like this. Then we'll be home free!"

"You scare me sometimes…" Rex said, giving Weevil a strange look.

* * *

Across town in the financial district, in a Penthouse apartment suite, Seto Kaiba had his laptop set up on his bed. Surely he had been working all night, as a proper businessman should. But this was not the case. Kaiba was fast asleep, and had been since little past midnight the night before. He had meant to stay up and get work done, but running a company all by himself was really beginning to take its toll. 

Kaiba's little brother, Mokuba, however, knew nothing of long hours working hard running a multi-billion dollar company, and therefore was wide awake. He only knew of the short hours that morning cartoons were on, and the phone number of the nearest pizza parlor. 

And Mokuba also knew exactly what time the mail came everyday. He came bounding into Seto's room, clutching a piece of paper. "Seto! Seto! Get up! Look at what came in the mail!!" He leapt up onto the bed and Kaiba woke with a start.

"Mokuba?" Kaiba said, looking at his little brother's excited face, nearly hidden by his mop of shaggy black hair, "What is it?"

"You gotta see this, Seto!" Mokuba said, holding up the paper. Kaiba took it in one hand and looked it over with half-opened eyes. "It's a new tournament in Egypt! Can we go? Can we? Please??"

"Mokuba…" Kaiba groaned, "I don't have time for tournaments anymore….have you forgotten the result of Battle City…it's still painful to think about." He turned away, pulling the covers over his head, bad memories flashing through his mind.

"Oh, but Seto…" Mokuba protested, "It wasn't you're fault. If that crazy Marik guy hadn't been trying to take over the world, you could've dueled Yugi when you were thinking clearly. This time I'm sure there's no evil plot going on! It's you're big chance to put the million pieces of your shattered reputation and pride back together."

"Thanks for you're support, Mokuba," came Kaiba's muffled voice from under the blankets.

"No problem," Mokuba said, not realizing the damage he'd done, "Can I have left-over pizza for breakfast?"

Kaiba mumbled something that sounded like "Yeah, whatever."

Mokuba hopped off the bed and ran out of the room saying, "Thanks Seto!"

Kaiba rolled over onto his stomach and pulled the pillow over his head. He couldn't risk another humiliating defeat like at Battle City – he just couldn't. But something was tugging at his brain. He lifted up the pillow just enough to look at the paper Mokuba had left behind. The tournament in Egypt was three days away…enough time to prepare…if he didn't have a company to run…

He could use a break, though. This job was threatening to chew him up and spit him out like a piece of gum. He hadn't even looked at his deck since it had failed him at Battle City. Maybe it was time to start over, begin rebuilding his reputation and stitching-up his wounded pride.

Mokuba was sitting on the couch in the living room, with the box of left-over pizza in front of him on the coffee table. He heard footsteps behind him and looked up. Kaiba was standing behind the couch, "Mokuba…" he said softly, "Do you really think we should go to Egypt?"

"Of course I do!" Mokuba said, spinning around and standing up on the couch, so he was only a head shorter than his big brother, "You've gotta get out of this slump, Seto. I can't stand to see you like this anymore." Kaiba was shocked to see tears well in his baby brother's eyes. 

"Hey," he said, brushing away the tears, "Don't be like this. I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Yeah, you are," Mokuba nodded, "I want you to be happy, Seto. And I know you won't be happy until you're dueling again. I'm sure you're Blue-Eyes have missed you."

Kaiba sighed. Mokuba was right. He was being childish. It had to end sometime, so why not now? "Okay, squirt," he said, "Let's get ready for Egypt."

Mokuba's eyes welled with tears again. 

"Huh? What's wrong?" Kaiba asked.

"Nothing…" Mokuba said, voice shaking, "It's just that…it's good to have you back, Seto!" Then the eleven-year-old flung his arms around his big brother's neck with such force that Kaiba lost his balance and both boys landed on the floor with a 'thud'. 

Kaiba patted Mokuba on the head, smiling for the first time in weeks. He was back – and Egypt had better watch out!

* * *

Later that afternoon, a meeting was being held at the Kame Game House. Yugi and Joey had spent the morning rounding up Tristan, Tea and Bakura and now all five teens were seated in the living room of the apartment above the shop. Grandpa was eavesdropping from the bottom of the stairs.

Joey had the difficult task of presenting the current problem to the group. He wasn't looking forward to this; no one ever seemed to respect you as much as they should when you were begging for money. And what was worse, it was doubtful that anyone here had the funds to send them all to Egypt. He sighed as the others continued to make small talk. He may as well get this over with, "Hey guys, I was wond-," Joey cut himself off, as he noticed that no one was paying attention to him.

"Guys…" he tried again. Still, he was ignored. What was so important that they couldn't pay attention to him? He and Yugi had invited them to this meeting; the least they could do is listen to him!

"Guys…" This was getting ridiculous. Joey stood up, took a deep breath, and proceeded to get the attention of every person in the room, "**Guys!!!**" 

The room got quiet very quickly. Tristan gave Joey a funny look, "What's up with you, man? If you wanted to say something, you could've just told us."

Joey fell down in classic anime style, but recovered just as quickly, "Guys, how the heck are we gonna get to Egypt? Do any of you know how much it will cost to send all of us on a plane to Egypt?" 

Yugi spoke up timidly, "I… don't think that Grandpa has enough money for plane tickets…"

Tristan gave a small chuckle, "I couldn't pay for the dinner meal on a flight! I'm flat broke!"

"It's been so long since I've had a real shift at Burger World, I probably couldn't even afford to eat there – even with the employee discount!" Tea said, smiling guiltily.

Then, at the same instant, all four of them turned to look at Bakura, who had kept very quiet, and was staring intently at the floor.

* * *

"All right! Five tickets to Egypt!" Yugi said, tickets in hand, as they all left the airport.

"Why didn't you ever tell us you were loaded, Bakura?" Joey asked.

"My poor bank account…" Bakura sobbed, white streams of tears running down his face, "That was supposed to go towards my tuition at Harvard!"

"Don't worry about it," Tristan said, putting an arm around Bakura's shoulders, "You know we're good for it."

"Yeah," Tea nodded, "Once Yugi or Joey wins the five million dollars, we'll pay you back in full!"

"Really?" Bakura asked, eyes still watery.

"Of course!" Yugi said, putting the tickets away in the backpack he'd brought, "What kind of friends would we be if we didn't pay you back?"

"Thank you," Bakura said, wiping his eyes.

"Hey – that's what we're here for," Joey said, punching his British friend lightly on the arm.

"The flight doesn't leave until three days from now," Yugi said, changing the subject unintentionally, "So that means you and I had better get in good dueling shape, Joey."

"That's right!" Joey said, "Gotta be on top of the game!"

"Which should be a big problem for you," Tristan said, "Since I've never seen you on top of anything!"

The friends walked away, with Joey and Tristan still bickering and occasionally taking their verbal feuds to fists.


	3. Chapter 3 The Plane Ride

Chapter 3

"The Plane Ride"

"It won't work."

"It will so!"

"They're not gonna buy it."

"Of course they will!"

"It's not gonna work."

"Will you stop worrying? It _will_ work!"

Rex and Weevil were arguing as they stood in the airport, waiting to board the plane that would take them to Egypt. Each held a counterfeit ticket in his hand. Weevil was getting annoyed at Rex's doubtfulness. There was no reason why their tickets shouldn't get them on the plane – they were perfect duplicates of the originals – except for the fact that they had been free. 

They reached the entrance to the ramp and handed the tickets to the steward. The poor man had a very hard time ripping them and Rex and Weevil both realized at the same time that the tickets weren't perforated! They cast each other nervous glances.

At last, the man succeeded in tearing the tickets sloppily in half. He shoved one half back at both boys and they scurried up the ramp as quickly as they could.

Further along in the line, Mai was tapping her foot on the tile floor impatiently, her duffle bag slung over her shoulder. A few loose children ran past and bumped her. She stumbled forward into the man in front of her. "Oh! Sorry!" she said, quickly regaining her composure.

The man turned around, "It's quite alright – oh! I know you!" It was Mako Tsunami.

"Yes, and I think I've seen you before," Mai said, smiling, "I was wondering if I'd see you here. How are you?"

"Looking forward to this competition," he said, grinning broadly, "I have greatly improved my deck since Battle City."

"I'll believe that when we finally duel," Mai said.

"Yes, I have never had that honor," Mako nodded, "Perhaps this time I will be so lucky."

"I'd look forward to it," Mai said. By this time, they had reached the gate before the ramp. 

Mako gestured for Mai to go on ahead of him, "Ladies first."

"Thank you," she said, "I guess chivalry isn't dead after all." She handed the steward her ticket and then started up the ramp. Mako did the same and followed after her.

Further behind them, Yugi and his friends were saying goodbye to Grandpa. "You kids have fun – and be careful," he said.

"We will," Yugi said, giving his grandfather a quick hug, "And we'll call as soon as we get settled into our hotel."

"Hey! The line's moving!" Joey said, and the group started moving up towards the gate.

"Bye, Grandpa!" Yugi waved as he handed in his ticket. 

Solomon Moto watched with a sad smile as his grandson disappeared into the plane. He prayed that this tournament was as innocent as it seemed, and that if it wasn't, that Yugi would be kept safe. He had no doubt that the boy was skilled, but he felt bad that he'd been put through so many fate-of-the-world situations so early in life. The poor boy had barely begun puberty! 

He shook his head, and turned to go. In seconds, the old man had vanished into the crowd.

* * *

"Sorry, Joey. You get the odd seat," Tristan said. Each person of the Yugioh gang was looking at the different size straw that they now held in their hands. Joey sighed; why did he always get the odd straw? Why did he always finish last?

Yugi smiled at his friend, "It'll be ok. We're only going to be a few rows away, after all!" Yugi and the others kept walking down the aisle of the cramped 747, and found their seats. Tristan sat next to Tea and Yugi was next to Bakura.

"I just hope I don't get seated next to anyone I can't stand!" Joey waved his friends off and then sat down in the aisle seat he had been standing next to. As he was adjusting his backpack (which contained the few essential things that the needed. You know, like dirty magazines, a toothbrush, etc.), he bumped into the person next to him.

"Hey watch it!" A familiar, high and squeaky voice reached Joey's ears, making him look over quickly. His eyes locked with the beady eyes of a short, blue-haired boy.

"WEEVIL!!!!"

"WHEELER!" 

True to anime style, the two duelists faced off, with sparks of electricity shooting between their eyes and fire blazing all around them. In the background, the other passengers looked around nervously, searching for the source of the fire.

As quickly as it had come, the emotional fire vanished, and the two began to bicker.

"What are your doing here?" Weevil shouted, standing up, but still only getting up to about two-thirds of Joey's height.

"I should be asking you that question! Only I'd have said 'what's a _loser_ like you doin' here!" Joey leaned over slightly, using his size to try and intimidate the insect duelist.

Weevil was about to retort, when both of the teens got whacked on the head with a pointer stick. With a yelp, they both looked over and saw the flight attendant shaking a finger at him, her pointer stick in her opposite hand. "Now we won't have any fighting on the flight!" she scolded, "You'll be a fire hazard! Take your seats so I can finish going over safety procedures."

Both boys grudgingly sat down, and refused to look at each other again.

Soon they were airborne, and the nine hour trip began. In his seat, three rows behind Weevil, Rex glanced over at the person he was seated next to for the first time, and nearly fell out of his seat in surprise.

Though her face was hidden behind a fashion magazine, Rex would've recognized that silky blonde hair and gorgeous figure anywhere. "Mai!?!" he cried.

Mai lowered her magazine and stared at Rex with narrowed eyes, "Well, well, well…" she said, crossing one leg over the other, "If it isn't the junior dino dork himself."

Rex growled, "You think you're so hot. But I'll shut you up once and for all as soon as the tournament starts!"

"Dream on, punk," Mai scoffed, "I keep flattening you, but you don't seem to ever shut up." Rex flushed with anger, but couldn't find the words he wanted. "Look – let's make this simple," Mai said, "You don't talk anymore, I won't talk anymore. Problem solved. Simple as that. Okay?"

Rex folded his arms and slumped down into his seat, scowling. Of all the rotten luck! Why'd he have to get stuck sitting next to Mai of all people! Well, he might be stuck next to her, but he wasn't going to like it – and he wasn't going to let her enjoy it either! 

* * *

It had been two hours since they took off, and Mai was ready to combust! Rex hadn't given her a moment's peace since they'd taken off! She was pulling at her hair, and her right eye was twitching. Rex hadn't said a word – in accordance with their agreement, but he'd done every other annoying thing humanly possible! 

She had tried to listen to music, but Rex had begun to fiddle with the volume control, making it either impossible for her to hear the music or making her ears ring. He pressed the call button precisely once every 3 minutes, and then blamed it on Mai. Sneezing, coughing, sighing heavily, adjusting his hat, and releasing bodily gases had all become common.

He cleared his throat and Mai almost snapped. "THAT'S IT!!!" she cried, standing up and leaning over the front of her seat, calling out, "Underwood!"

Weevil's buggy head popped up from behind his seat, "What?"

"Get over here – we're switching seats," she said, jerking her thumb towards her seat.

"Sure," Weevil agreed, "Anything's gotta be better than sitting next to Wheeler." The boy then proceeded to climb over Joey, being sure to step on him at least once. Mai pushed past Rex and out into the isle. 

Joey was brushing shoe-prints off of his pants when he heard Mai's footsteps stop next to him. He looked up at her, and felt himself go slightly red. He hadn't seen her since Battle City, and he'd almost forgotten how beautiful she was. Quickly, he composed himself and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Move in," she said.

"No," he stuck his nose in the air, "I don't want bug-boy germs on me. You can have his seat."

"Fine, whatever," she shrugged, and moved to slide into the seat.

But Joey was bigger than Rex had been and squeezing past him proved more difficult than she had expected. Joey tried to lean back as far as he could, but he still ended up with her ass in his face. His face went an even deeper shade of maroon, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. 

Mai, on her part, was very glad Joey couldn't see her face, because she was blushing nearly as much as he was. Hurriedly, she pushed all the way past him and waited a few seconds for the burning in her cheeks to go down before turning around. She pulled a handkerchief out of her bag and began wiping off the seat that had been Weevil's.

"HEY!!!" yelled Weevil from three rows down, leaning over the seat, "What's THAT supposed to mean??"

"It means she doesn't want yer cooties!" Joey said, standing up.

Weevil fumed and was then whacked on the head by the flight attendant, "I thought I said stay seated!" she scolded. Weevil shrank back into his seat, vowing revenge on Joey.

Mai and Joey sat back down and Mai breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I'm surprised you lasted two hours next to that little creep," Joey said.

"Me neither," she shook her head, "If I had to stay there one more second, I think my head would've exploded."

There was an awkward moment of silence and then Mai grinned slyly and asked, "So…how'd you manage to afford this, anyway?"

"Hey…" Joey said, looking hurt, "What's with the nasty attitude? I hope you haven't forgotten what happened at Battle City."

Mai winced. She hadn't forgotten. When she'd been trapped by Marik in an hourglass full of scorpions, it was Joey who'd come to her rescue. She gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry…no – I didn't forget…" She put a hand on his arm and he felt his stomach give a funny lurch.

"You're okay, right?" he asked.

She nodded, "Thanks to you."

"Yeah…well…" he gulped. She was squeezing his arm now, brushing her thumb against the bare skin. His stomach was doing summersaults. "What else could I have done?" He brushed a finger under his nose nervously, "Just try and stay outta trouble this time, okay?"

He turned towards her just in time to see her smile and his heartbeat quickened. "I'll try," she said, "But if I do get in trouble, will you be there to save me again?"

"Y-yeah, sure," he said, "What're friends for, right?"

"Right," she said. Then she released her grip on his arm and turned to stare out the window at the sky.

Joey put a hand on his chest, to slow his heartbeat. Why was he getting so nervous? All she'd done was touch his arm. Why was that making his feel so tense? He shook his head and closed his eyes. He couldn't afford to get all worked up like this. He needed to keep focused – keep his mind on the upcoming tournament. Surely Yugi wasn't as distracted as this!

A few rows down and across the isle, Yugi had fallen asleep on Bakura's shoulder. Bakura had tried to do the same, but something kept nagging at him. He knew why he couldn't rest: Yugi's Millennium Puzzle was dangling so close to Bakura that he knew that if he simply raised a hand, he could remove the Puzzle from Yugi's neck without the younger boy ever knowing about it. Not that Bakura wanted Yugi's Puzzle. It was the… other presence. Bakura shivered and his mind grew cold for a moment. His Spirit was obsessed with owning all of the items, obsessed with-

**_Bakura._**

Bakura froze and sat stiffly in his chair. It was happening again.

**_The Puzzle. take it!_**

'I won't!' That Puzzle belongs to Yugi!'

**_You have no choice. I control you._**

'That's not true! I am my own person! It's my body!'

**_You cannot resist me. Your mind is weak. TAKE THE PUZZLE!_**

'NO! Stop it! Get out of my head!'

**_TAKE THAT PUZZLE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

The Ring began to glow and Bakura realized, for the first time, that his Spirit was forcing him to relinquish control over his body. His mind began to go numb, weak. Bakura knew that he had grown in strength. His mind was no longer just a thing to be toyed with by an ancient Spirit. 

Bakura's face was now two images, badly fused into one. The left side was that of Yami Bakura now, eye flashing and hair wild. The right side was still Bakura, a look of fear and determination on his face. The dividing point was a bright line of light emitted from the Millennium Ring. The left hand made a grab for the Puzzle, while the right grabbed hold of its counterpart and struggled to stop it. The line of light slowly moved to the right, as Yami Bakura's much more powerful mind began to overwhelm Bakura.

"Hey Bakura!"

The light vanished and Yami Bakura retreated. Bakura, now exhausted and breathing heavily, looked behind him to see the quizzical face of Tristan, "Yes… Tristan?"

Tristan started again, "Are you alright? You were moving around a lot and-"

"Yes, I'm fine! Just a bad dream, that's all…" Bakura slumped back down into his seat. That was the longest he had ever lasted against his counterpart. The experience had completely drained him.

Tristan watched as Bakura disappeared from view again, then muttered (more to himself than Bakura), "If you say so…"


	4. Chapter 4 Al Karnak

Chapter 4

"Al Karnak"

At long last, the long ride drew to an end as the flight attendant came over the intercom to let everyone know that they would soon be descending in Al Karnak, Egypt. 

Yugi, who'd awakened an hour earlier, pressed his nose against the window excitedly. But he couldn't really see anything because of their altitude and the fact that the sky had darkened to a beautiful midnight blue. "I wonder what'll happen once we land," he mused.

"I really couldn't say," Bakura shrugged, "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

"Yeah, I guess," Yugi said, still peering out the window.

Unbeknownst to Yugi, Bakura was no longer himself. For a brief second, his eyes became more angular and his hair spiked higher. Yami Bakura had seized control of the body once his pathetic host had passed into unconsciousness. Their struggle earlier had left him without anymore energy to fight for power. He had just been prolonging the inevitable anyway. Now he had complete control – just as he should. And it would only be a short time before he could get Little Yugi alone long enough to take possession of the Puzzle.

Behind them, Tea yawned and stretched, and Tristan noticed something he never had before. She wasn't poorly built at all…whoa! What was he _thinking_?? This was Tea, one of his closest friends. He wasn't supposed to have those kinds of thoughts…was he? He was a man, after all…but he doubted that she saw him as one. 

He folded his hands in his lap, confused and suddenly a little depressed. Tea noticed his distraught expression, and cocked her head. "Hey…" she said, "What's the matter?"

"Huh?" he said, jumping slightly, "Oh, nothing. I was just kinda hoping we're not walking into the middle of another evil plan, you know?"

"Yeah…" she nodded, "But it's a little late for that, isn't it? Ten minutes to landing and all?"

"I guess you're right," he said, putting one hand behind his head.

"When will you learn that I'm always right?" she asked, giving him a teasing wink.

For the first time ever, Tristan blushed because of something Tea had done.

Across the isle and up a ways, Joey was still fast asleep, as he'd been for the past two hours. Mai had tried to sleep, but hadn't been able to manage it. Instead, she'd taken to watching Joey, and envying his apparent lack of insomnia. It seemed a shame to wake him…

Mai grinned. She shook him gently. He continued to snore softly. She frowned. Apparently, the nice approach wasn't going to work. She reached over and poked him in the stomach.

Joey, being extremely ticklish, woke with a start and nearly fell out into the isle! "Ah! Wha? Huh?" he said looking around, "Where am I?"

Mai put a hand over her mouth, trying to hide her smile. "We're about to land," she said.

"Oh…right…" Joey said, feeling stupid, "…Thanks…"

"Don't mention it," Mai said, leaning back in her seat.

Several rows away, the two younger duelists (Weevil and Rex) were gathering up their things. Neither spoke a word, both too absorbed in their own thoughts. There was a general thought that was racing through the minds of almost every duelist on the plane: _This tournament is mine!_

The plane began to cut speed and lose altitude. The small rubber wheels on the 747 met the hard pavement of the runway, bounced once or twice (which made everyone's stomach lurch) and managed to bring the plane safely down to Earth once again.

Everyone began to unhook their seatbelts and gather up their carry-ons. They were all much too tired to put up much of a fuss about anything, so exiting the jet was done in a mostly humane manor. Mostly being the key word.

As Mai got up out of her seat, her high-heeled boot snagged on a wire under the seat and she fell forward. Joey, caught off guard and not quite out of his own seat, moved to catch her, but wound up aiming a bit too low and before he even knew what had happened, his nose was buried in her chest.

Mai was blushing for the second time that day (or night, as it was). Quickly, she pushed herself up off of him, and muttered, "Sorry."

"Eh, no," Joey sputtered, "It's cool. You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine," she said.

"Okay then," he said, "Um…" Not knowing what else to say, Joey grabbed his bag and headed out into the isle. Mai picked up her own bag and followed after him, feeling more violated than she had in a very long time. 

As he descended the ramp, one thought was running through Joey's mind, '_Boy that was warm and soft…_'

It only took a few moments for everyone to make it off the plane, and they all gathered at the end of the ramp, wondering just what they were supposed to do next.

Then a voice that was much too cheerful for midnight cut through the air, "Welcome to Al Karnak, Duelists!" Everyone turned to see an Egyptian woman with white-blonde hair standing a few yards away. She was dressed in a short-sleeved dress that nearly matched her hair, and she held a clipboard under one arm. "My name is Vitani, and I'm the tournament coordinator. If you'll all follow me, I'll show you where you can all pick up your bags and get registered into our duelist-reserved hotels!"

She turned and started to walk off, and the group moved slowly after her. Yugi caught up to Tea and Tristan and said, "Hey guys – I didn't realize how many people were actually coming here for this thing!"

"Huh?" they both said and looked around. It was true. There were 747s all over the runway, with groups of people from all over the world unloading and following their own tournament official. 

"What're we lookin' at?" Joey asked, falling into step with his friends.

"All the different jets that are here," Tristan shrugged.

"Sheesh," Joey said, "With this many people, the first round's gonna take forever…"

There was a lot of murmuring and muttering from a lot of tired and annoyed duelists about time zone differences and the ungodliness of the cheery attitudes at the current time, but the majority of the people managed to go to the hotel, all with thoughts of a nice long sleeps in their brains.

No such luck. There were numerous problems with this plan. First, when they got to the hotels, they also found out about the rates for hotel rooms. The worst thing was that whoever was in charge of this tournament had bought the hotels and could make them pay as much as he wanted, if the duelists wished to compete. 

A second problem was that the tournament guides wanted them to find out all about the different rules and regulations for the tournament, tonight! Joey, who was now carrying Yugi, was one of the many who used their vast vocabulary to verbally trounce this idea. Rex, who had Weevil leaning on his shoulder (nodding off), gave the universal sign of rudeness to the officials. In response, they held a brief conference and after a few minutes, then agreed to send copies of the rules and such to the duelists the next morning.

* * *

As Tea signed them in, and Bakura reluctantly emptied out his wallet, none of them realized that they were being watched. Across the large lobby, a young girl with short black hair and sleepy gray eyes had her gaze fixed on Yugi. Her father bent down and lifted her into her arms, as her mother returned with a key to their room. As she was carried off, her eyes never left Yugi.

* * *

Across the street, at a different hotel, annoyed duelists were banging on the doors as Seto Kaiba spoke with the desk clerk. Mokuba sat on the floor at his feet, hugging his knees and sleeping lightly. It had been a long helicopter ride. 

"You want…the _whole_ hotel?" the clerk asked, sure he had heard wrong.

"That's right," Kaiba nodded, "I don't want any of these losers hanging around and distracting me while I'm here. I'm sure you've heard of me, so you know I can pay for it."

"Yes, sir…" the clerk nodded, and typed the rather odd request into the computer, "I'll automatically unlock all the doors. Choose any room you like, sir…"

"Thanks," Kaiba said, and bent down to nudge his little brother.

"Huh?" Mokuba said, looking up, quickly rubbing his eyes, "I wasn't sleeping."

"Let's go," Kaiba said, picking up his briefcase, and heading off towards the elevator.

"Okay!" Mokuba grinned, grabbing his own suitcase and hurrying after, "Can we stay all the way at the top floor?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Yes!!"

* * *

_Ring! Ring! Ring! _Joey moaned and rolled over on his side. The phone beside his bed was ringing. He picked it up groggily and put it to his ear.

"_Good morning, duelists! The Egyptian Tournament begins now! You'll find all rules and regulations on the night table that this phone is on! Get reading and then get dueling! Have a nice day!_" 

The annoyingly pleasant voice on the other end switched off and Joey let the phone fall from his hands to the floor with a clatter. Then his head hit the pillow again and he settled back down to sleep.

Five seconds later, he sat straight up, "WHAT?!? The tournament's startin' _already_?!?"

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding," Mai said, hanging up the phone, "Why on Earth would they schedule us to get here at midnight, and then start the tournament at six the next morning?" She sat up begrudgingly, brushed her hair out of her face and reached for the rule book, which was right where the wake-up-call had said it would be. She'd might as well get started – everyone else was sure to.

* * *

"Shit," Rex groaned softly. This couldn't possibly be day yet! The sun wasn't even up and he still had another good three hours of Z's to catch! The 16 year old grabbed for the rulebook, tossed over to the foot of Weevil's bed, then lied back down. He pulled the covers up to his nose then put his pillow on top of his head. 

No doubt, Weevil would wake up before him and memorize the rules. Then all the dino duelist had to do to get the abridged version was ask Weevil! The tournament may officially start now, but he was pretty sure that on one was stupid enough to be up dueling at this hour!

* * *

"These rules seem pretty much just like the Battle City rules," Yugi said. He was sitting on his bed, flipping through the rule book as Joey looked over his shoulder. Sitting on Joey's bed across from them was Yami, in his translucent form. Tristan and Bakura were still sleeping, and Tea was in a room of her own across the hall. 

"It says there are cloaks in the closet to protect us against the sand, and our dueling items are in the top drawer of this nightstand," Yugi continued.

"Duelin' items?" Joey echoed, "Whadda they mean by that?"

"I'm not sure," Yugi shrugged, reaching for the drawer, "Probably like the star chips or locater cards."

Upon opening the drawer, Yugi let out a small gasp. The Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle's eyes widened as well, although only Yugi could tell. Lying in the dresser were three golden chains, each of which had mini, down to the last detail, replicas of Millennium Items! 

Yugi picked up the chains, and held them up. For a moment he and Joey just stared at them. "Whoa…" Yugi breathed, "They're perfect miniatures…"

"But how would anybody know about the Millennium Items?" Joey wondered.

"I don't know…" Yugi said, and looked over at Yami, who was looking just as puzzled. 

"Aren't all the Millennium Item holders accounted for?" Joey asked.

"Yes…wait – no!" Yugi said, fingering the chains, "We've never seen who own the Scale." He found a miniature of it and held it out for Joey to see.

"So that's our suspect?" Joey guessed.

"I don't know of anyone else who would know enough to make them so accurate," Yugi shrugged, "So we'll certainly have to be on the look out for the person who owns it."


	5. Chapter 5 The First Duel: Souls

Chapter 5 

"The First Duel: Souls"

The young girl who had watched Yugi from afar the night before was sitting on her bed, reading the rulebook to herself. Her name was Tsuki Date, and she was eleven years old. Her parents had come to Egypt on business, and had thought that this tournament would be a good way for her to keep out of trouble during their stay.

Tsuki had never been very good at Duel Monsters, but at least it was something to do. She picked up the chain with its two mini-items, and looked them over carefully. Something about them was familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. They looked a lot like her scale, old and beautiful.

Thinking of the scale, she reached into her backpack. Out from it, she pulled a gold scale and set it in her lap. She remembered the story her parents had told her about how the scale had come to her. They said that one the day they brought her home from the hospital, they had found a tall man in a white cloak and turban waiting for them. 

The man had given the scale to her father and told him that she was destined to have it, and that she should be given it when she was ready; whatever that meant. She placed the chain in a dish of the scale and watched it level off. She had always wondered what was so special about it, aside from the fact that it was ancient and solid gold. 

As she stared at it, the scale began to glow. It glowed more and more until it engulfed the entire room. An instant later, when the light dimmed, where a young girl had been sitting, there was now a beautiful young woman in her early twenties. She had the same short black hair as the girl had, but with gold rings around two side strands. The eyes that had once been gray and innocent were now brown and mysterious.

The woman was the spirit of the Millennium Scale: Dedi, queen of Egypt. She hated taking over her host like this, but she didn't have any other options. Their bond was weak, as she took over very seldom, so Tsuki knew nothing of her. She only knew that there were times when she seemed in a heap of trouble, then she'd black out and the trouble would be gone by the time she woke up. 

But Dedi would never have another opportunity like this, so she had to force her way out. She reached into Tsuki's backpack and pulled out a newspaper clipping. She gazed at the image tenderly. The picture was of Yami, after the Battle City tournament had ended. Her long lost love, the Pharaoh. She'd been so amazed when she'd seen this image. She never dreamed that she'd ever find him again. But there he was, just as handsome as she remembered.

She put the clipping and the scale back in the pack, then slipped the chain of mini-items around her neck. Then she crossed to the closet and pulled out a cloak. She pulled it over her head and grabbed her Duel Disk 2, hooking it to her arm. She put Tsuki's deck in her pocket and headed out of the hotel. Her search for her beloved began today.

* * *

Meanwhile, another early bird was already roaming the streets of the quiet Egyptian village known as Al Karnak. Weevil paused for a moment, letting the cool morning air surround him. It was peaceful here; unlike the busy city life of Domino, where Battle City had been held. 

Glancing around again, the young dueling genius could see that some native Egyptians were already setting up their shops for business. There weren't any duelists out yet as far as he could see, but that didn't really matter anyway. He had been in such a rush to get started that he had forgotten about the needs of the body (A/N: Food. Eww. What were all you people thinking?), so he still needed breakfast. There had to be some decent cafes that were open and serving breakfast by now. Weevil continued on his way, still looking forward to the first day of the tournament.

* * *

Dedi had not seen her homeland in centuries. It was wonderful to let the memories fill her as she walked the streets. The smells were all so familiar, but it was quiet – something it had rarely been during her time. The bazaar was always bustling by this time, trying to beat the heat of the afternoon. But no matter. The quiet had a very calming effect, and she needed to keep her thoughts together if her search was going to go smoothly. 

She spotted a small café and strode over to it, seating herself at a table under the cloth hangings. She wasn't really hungry, but there was no better place to people watch. Well, except perhaps from the safety of the [insert name of wooden thingy royals are carried on]. But those days were long gone and she had long since adapted to it. So she just sat back to watch as the port town came to life. 

Sighing to herself, the queen of old pulled out the picture of Yami again. She remembered those days like yesterday. He had to be here; he just had to! It wouldn't be right for the duel monsters champion not to attend a tournament in his home country of Egypt. Not that many knew he was from Egypt. His host body was listed as a Yugi Moto, from Japan. _The boy even looks like him…_

Lost in her own thoughts, it took her a moment to realize that she was being watched. Straightening up, Dedi looked around to see who was looking at her. Her eyes came to rest on a small boy with blue hair, who was sitting two tables away, looking very annoyed. She cast a inquiring eye at him, "Do you have a problem?"

Weevil snorted and turned his nose upwards slightly, "With you? You might say that. I can't stand fans of the no-good, publicity seeking Moto! He's nothing special at all! Just lucky!" Weevil took another sip of his tea, trying to get the bad taste of talking about Yugi out of his mouth.

"Don't you dare say things like that!" Dedi said, standing up. Her temper had gotten the better of her, like it usually did, but she had a right to defend Yami and his host body. Anyone who spoke so ill of her love could not be pure of soul. But before he could be banished, he needed to be tested. She plunged a hand into her backpack and drew out the scale. She would test him. And then she would have his soul. She began walking towards him, fire in her eyes.

Weevil, who was in the middle of another sip of tea, saw the very angry woman walking over towards him. She was holding something very strange in her hand, and that made Weevil a bit nervous. He put down his cup and stumbled out of his chair, knocking it over in his haste. The bug brawler took a step backwards, as she still kept advancing, "What's your problem? I'm allowed to have my opinions!"

Dedi stood over him and held out the scale, "The power of my Millennium Scale will determine that." The scale began to glow.

Weevil felt a tug down in his naval and before he could even begin to guess what was happening, he found himself surrounded by darkness, "What the-? Where am I?" He looked around, and saw that same woman standing in front of him, but in a much different outfit.

She looked like something out of a history text book, in traditional ornate Egyptian garb: a white dress lined with gold, which was more of a belly-shirt and skirt than a dress. If not for how strange the situation was, she would've looked very beautiful and inviting. "Welcome to the Shadow Realm, mortal," she said, "Your fate rests in my scale now." She waved a hand and the scale she'd been holding in the living realm appeared, a hundred times larger than it had been. 

Weevil gulped nervously, "The…Shadow Realm? What is that? And what do you mean my… fate… rests in that thing!?" Weevil was pointing fretfully at the large, golden instrument that was the only thing visible for what seemed like an endless eternity.

"The Millennium Scale allows me to judge your soul, boy," Dedi said, waving her hand again. A white glow surrounded Weevil and lifted him high in the air. 

The young boy's eyes widened suddenly. He could feel himself being lifted off of the ground by what appeared to be nothing! He began to struggle, but he was frozen to his spot, give or take an inch. He began to yell down at the Egyptian woman whom he knew was still standing down there, "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?! PUT ME DOWN! HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS???"

"Silence," Dedi said, "It will be over soon enough." She waved her hand again and Weevil was set down on the right side of the giant scale. Instantly, the scale began to tip back and forth, trying to balance it self. Dedi waited for it to settle on the high or low setting, but it would not! It just kept rocking back and forth, up and down. She raised an eyebrow quizzically. What was going on? The boy was neither pure nor impure – the scale couldn't decide! How was this possible??

Weevil, meanwhile, was getting rather seasick. Of course, a little case of nausea couldn't stop him from talking, "I've had enough of this _teeter-totter_ of yours! Let me down right now!" he squawked.

Dedi snapped her fingers and the scale disappeared, letting Weevil drop to the floor. This had always been a flaw in the scale – it had difficulty judging children's souls because there wasn't much to go by. "Very well. Your fate is still undecided," she said, "If the scale cannot come to a conclusion, I will have to draw my own. Let us return to the living world. There we shall duel for the fate of your soul."

"The WHAT???" Weevil began, but Dedi snapped her fingers again and in an instant, the blackness warped around them and melted away, revealing the quiet morning street once again.

Weevil's soul returned to his body, and he fell to his knees, sweating heavily. Even though it was probably well over 100 degrees in the dusty village street, Weevil felt cold all over. What had that woman that towered over him done?

Dedi stood over the boy, eyes narrowed. His soul was borderline, and she couldn't let him go without testing how dangerous he really was. "Get up, Mr. Underwood," she said, "I'm not quite sure what to do with you yet, so perhaps you would duel me so I may get a better feel for the threat you pose to my mission. We'll each bet one item on this duel, agreed?" 

Weevil recovered himself, and stood up indignantly, "You dare challenge Weevil Underwood, regional champion, to a duel?" He sniggered slightly, "Fine. I agree to your terms. Let's duel!" The scrawny boy pulled out his deck and inserted it into his Duel Disk 2. It was amazing that it still worked with all the wind and the sand blowing about. As he waited for the machine to finish shuffling, he began to wonder just what mission she meant. Was there something more to this tournament than the $5,000,000 prize? This was something to look into, indeed. Perhaps there was more to this woman than she was letting on. The Duel Disk blasted out its holo-projectors, signaling that it was ready to begin at his command. 

Dedi pulled out her own deck and readied her Duel Disk 2. But as she was about to slide her deck into the slot, felt her side deck in the pocket of her shorts and a thought struck her. The deck she was about to use had been created by her host, young Tsuki Date, and was sure to have a few mistakes in it. She quickly rearranged her deck, incorporating the side deck into her original deck. Then she inserted the improved deck into the slot and the holo-projectors shot out as well. "I'm ready when you are. Shall we Ro-Sham-Bo to see who goes first?" she asked, smirking, such a childish means for deciding anything, but then again, her opponent was a child…

"Very well," Weevil replied, wondering if she was insulting him by using a child's game to determine the game's start. The two shouted out the age old game's only line, "Ro-Sham-Bo!" Weevil's hand showed rock, to his opponent's scissors, "Rock wins and I win the first turn honors!" He quickly drew his six cards and surveyed them briefly. 'Not a bad opening hand', he thought to himself, 'Still, there's no way of knowing yet if it's good enough,' (Flying Kamikari #2, Petit Moth, Cocoon of Evolution, Reckless Parasite, Graceful Charity, and Drill Bug) Weevil had no idea who this Egyptian weirdo was and the best way to gather info on a duelist was to test them early. The bug brawler placed one card on the field, "I play the Flying Kamikari #2 (1500/800) in Attack mode!" Weevil chuckled a bit as the large flying insect appeared on the street, buzzing angrily at his opponent. Time to find out who this person was, where she got the nerve to think herself his equal in Duel Monsters, "Hey, who are you anyway? And how do you know who I am?" His squeaky voice easily made itself heard over the wind. 

Dedi drew her own opening hand (Mystical Elf, Shining Angel, Red Archery Girl, Red Medicine, and Waboku), and then pulled out a card for this turn (Nemuriko). She sighed and shook her head, placing her magic and trap cards face-down. How was she supposed to back up her confident attitude with a deck so child-like? She placed Mystical Elf in face-down defense mode and turned to look at her opponent.

"Who am I?" she echoed, the wind blowing through her short black hair, "You may call me Tsuki Date…you may never know my true name. And as for how I know you…well, you are the "regional champion", aren't you? Don't you think your reputation precedes you?" Her chocolate-brown eyes went misty for a moment as she said, "You aren't really the one I was hoping to meet here, but perhaps you'll prove useful."

Weevil smirked, and stuck his nose in the air, "Well, I suppose, you are right about that. I am internationally famous, but I had figured that an amateur like you wouldn't keep up with who's who in Duel Monsters." He drew his card, and got Insect Soldiers of the Sky, then played Petit Moth (300/200) in defense mode. Weevil pointed his finger out at Tsuki's card, "Go Kamikari, ATTACK!" the bug swooped in for the kill…

"Sorry kid," Dedi said, as her Mystical Elf (800/2000) emerged out of her face-down card, "But that attack's not gonna do you any good!" And the Flying Kamikari was blown backwards by a magical wind, headed straight towards Weevil! Then she flipped up another of her face-down cards. "That takes you down by 500 points! And I'll also play the "Red Medicine" card, bringing my life points up by 500!" She put her hands on her hips and smirked, "I think that puts me 1000 points in the lead! Not bad for an amateur, eh?" she said. The score was now her: 4500 to him: 3500. Finally, she remembered to draw a card for that turn, and got "Last Will". Next she slid Nemuriko (800/700) into defense mode.

The large, life-like insect smashed into Weevil, throwing him backwards several feet. Rubbing his sore backside, he stood up again and glared angrily at his opponent, "This match is only starting. Watch this!" He quickly pulled a card (Dark-Piercing Light) and then placed it into his Duel Disk 2, "My Dark Piercing light card will flip all face-down monsters face-up!" A bright light emitted form the top of the field and it revealed his tiny Petit Moth, and her strange looking Nemuriko.

Dedi's brow furrowed, confused. Why had he played such a weak monster? It was an insect card, but even Tsuki's weak monster cards could defeat a card like that!

The insect master grinned evilly, "Confused, are you? My next move will make perfect sense. I will equip my Petit Moth with the Cocoon of Evolution, changing its stats to 0/2000!" He folded his arms confidently, "I've found a way to leave my Moth in Defense mode while it evolves, without leaving it vurnerable!" Weevil's thoughts had slipped back to Battle City, in that duel with Joey, the one that had eliminated him. This time would be different. This time he would show the world that he was still the number one duelist in Japan! "Kamikari! Attack her Nemuriko!" The frightening insect swooped in, and crashed into the smaller creature, eliminating it.

Dedi growled softly. Her Mystical Elf was strong enough to defend her from attacks now, but what happened when his Cocoon evolved? She didn't even want to know what kind of monster was waiting for her under that disgusting pod. The queen of Egypt drew a new card from her deck. Her face lit up, as the card she had pulled was "Insect Barrier". She grinned widely, "Sorry, Weevil," she said, unable to contain her happiness, "but you won't be taking any of my life points for a while! I play Insect Barrier," she slapped the card down "keeping you're bugs at bay! You can't attack with them as long as this card's in play! And in the meantime, I think I'll just play this one monster in Defense mode (Red Archery Girl (1400/1500)).

Weevil gasped as he watched the golden lights form a barrier in the middle of the field, "WHAT?!? The Insect Barrier? But, but…"

Dedi smirked and put a hand on her hip, "I knew who I was dueling, and that's why I slipped that card into my deck!"

The insect duelist scowled. "Insect Barrier" was probably the worst thing that could have happened to him and his prized bugs. He drew a card (trap hole) and laid it face-down. Then he took Needle Worm (750/600) and placed it in defense mode. This Egyptian beauty would get a real surprise when she finally attacked him. 

That made him start to think a bit more. Hadn't she challenged him to a duel? Why was she still just playing defense while he was making strategic moves? Perhaps some motivation would help, "Hee hee hee! Are you scared to attack my insects? What happened to your confidence? You seemed so sure that you could handle anything that I threw your way! There's only four more turns until my Ultimate Great Moth is born from its cocoon!" 

Dedi glowered quietly to herself, but said nothing. He was right. She really should have taken more time to examine her deck and her current situation. She was wasting time here; she should be looking for her love, not dueling here! The judger of souls sighed resignedly. She was duty bound by the gods of Egypt and the magic of the Millennium Scale to duel this boy for his soul. She was almost letting him retain his semi-tainted soul. Dedi drew her next card and almost fell over in surprise! It was the "Fairy Witch" (800/500), not a strong card at all. She sighed; Tsuki's cards were beginning to surface, and that wasn't good. But as long as Weevil couldn't attack, she might be able to win.

Meanwhile, Mai was cruising the streets, admiring the mini Millennium Scale and Key she'd collected, to add to her mini Puzzle and Ring. Her first duel had been relatively easy. Then the flicker of holographic images caught her eye and she turned. Down the road, she could make out two duelists engaged in battle. "Oooh, looks like a show," she said to herself and made her way down the street. When she reached the site, she recognized Weevil Underwood at once, but his opponent was a complete stranger to her. She couldn't help but wonder who was winning. The magic gate that was formed between the fields was intriguing; she'd never seen it before. She leaned back against the side of a sand-stone building to watch.

Dedi took slight notice of their spectator, and then turned back to the duel. She placed "Fairy Witch" in defense-mode and said, "I end my turn here, Weevil."

Weevil drew again (Big Insect (1200/1500)), and cursed to himself. What good would his Great Moth be if he still couldn't attack with it? "I'll place my Insect Soldiers of the Sky in attack mode (1000/800)! That will end my turn, but you've only got three turns left before my ultimate destroyer erupts from his cocoon to annihilate you!"

She drew her next card and had to hide her disappointment again. It was "Eldeen" (950/1000). Again she placed it in defense-mode, a sweat-drop forming on her head. At this rate, she would quickly lose her lead. But there was at least one thing that she could do, "I'll flip my Red Archery Girl into attack mode! And I'll use it to destroy your Insect Soldiers!" The Red Archery Girl began to appear on the field, when Weevil held out a hand.

"I'm activating my trap card, the Trap Hole! This card destroys any monster that you summon with 1000 attack power or higher!" The ground beneath the mermaid crumbled and took the surprised fish woman with it. Dedi clenched her fists in rage. She needed every advantage she could get in this duel, but he was matching her blow for blow.

Weevil drew his card from the top of his deck and examined it carefully, not quite believing his luck, "I'll use this De-spell card to rid you of your barrier! Now, Kamikari, attack her face-down card!" His bug buzzed forward and destroyed another low-powered monster. Weevil shook his index finger at his opponent, "Tsk, tsk. Your monsters are no match for my mighty insects! And you have only two turns before I completely obliterate you!"

Dedi couldn't even bring herself to look at him. This little brat was going to get the better of her…and it wasn't even her fault. She drew her next card, "Ookazi". Finally! Something worth playing! "First, I'll play the magic card Ookazi, bringing your life points down by 800 points! And then I'll play the Shining Angel in attack-mode (1400/800), which I'll use to destroy Insect Soldiers of the Sky!" 

What happened next was some of the most amazing holograph displays Mai had ever seen. First, a huge burning house emerged from the Ookazi card and covered Weevil's side of the field. Even at her distance she could feel the heat coming off of it. His life points dropped by 800. Then a tall, handsome angel swooped in, put its hands on the Insect Soldier and both of them disappeared in a heavenly light. The Shining Angel returned back down to Earth, hands free. Weevil: 2300 – Tsuki: 4500.

Weevil had thought that he couldn't get any hotter than he had been, but the burning house that had engulfed him for those last several seconds had proven him very wrong. He drew his card (Insect Imitation) and grinned, "I'll use this Insect Imitation card!" Several large eggs in a twig-nest appeared in front of Weevil's monsters, "This card allows me to tribute my Big Insect for a monster with one more star than he has! And I choose my 5 star Hunter Spider!" The Big Insect crawled into one of the large green eggs and disappeared, and out of another came a large black and orange spider (1600/1400)!

Weevil pointed at the Shining Angel, "Attack my precious spider!" The Hunter Spider shot out long strands of webbing, which wrapped themselves completely around the angel, then crushed him. Dedi cursed while Weevil grinned, "Not only does that change the score, but you're forced to summon another light monster in attack mode!" Weevil: 2300 – Tsuki: 4300.

Dedi fumbled through her deck, realizing that the strongest light monster she had left was "Happy Lover". She sighed as she placed it in attack mode on the field. The little girl's parents had put the card in her deck not for its strength, but to remind her how much they loved her. Now, however, it was going to hurt her more than help.

"Now Flying Kamikari #2, attack that puffball!" Weevil raised his right hand, and the flying insect flew in and claimed another monster. This significantly changed the score: Weevil: 2300 – Tsuki: 3600. The bug brawler straightened up and laughed sinisterly, "You only have one more turn before my Cocoon hatches and you haven't even taken a crack at it! HA HA HA HA HA!" 

Dedi cursed softly under her breath. He was right! She needed to draw something useful, but could she? She closed her eyes and drew… Pot of Greed. Her eyes widened in surprise. She didn't even know that Tsuki owned a card this rare, "Activate Pot of Greed, giving me two more cards!" The two cards she picked up were Chorus of Sactuary and Book of Secret Arts. The ancient ruler breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure how strong the Ultimate Great Moth would be, but if she played these cards then at least she increased her chances of stopping the giant bug in its tracks, "I'll use these two cards together, to increase the defense power of my Mystical Elf (800/2800)!"

Weevil drew his card (Widespread Ruin) and began to speak softly to his opponent, "There are very few monsters in the entire game of Duel Monsters that can defeat a Defense power so high," He looked up at her, a triumphant glittering in his eyes, "But the Ultimate Great Moth is one of them!! I sacrifice My Cocoon of Evolution to summon the instrument of your defeat! Reveal, the Ultimate Great Moth (3500/3000)!!" 

In another spectacular display of holographic technology, the cocoon broke open before everyone's eyes and in a flash of white light, the huge, green-skinned, blue-winged, massive, mother of all insects appeared. 

Weevil enjoyed watching the shock on Tsuki's face as his Moth appeared, "Now, for one final move, I summon the Drill Bug (1100/200)! Go my bugs! Finish this match!" The Ultimate Great Moth blasted a furious beam of venom from its mouth, which hit the Mystical Elf and disintegrated it. The remaining three bugs buzzed forward and took turns smashing into Dedi. When the assault had ended, there was a brief moment of calculations by his opponent's Duel Disk 2, and her LP dropped to 0, giving Weevil Underwood, regional champion, the victory. Grinning widely, Weevil started slowly walking over to claim his new item.

Dedi fell to the dust, and skidded a few feet before coming to a stop, and lying motionless on the street, as the hot Egyptian wind blew around her. She pushed herself up to a sitting position and reached for her necklace. Slowly she unhooked the mini Puzzle off the chain and let it fall to the dirt at Weevil's feet. "Take it…" she said softly.

Mai couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor girl. She wanted to go over and see if she was alright, but didn't dare just yet.

Weevil laughed softly as he picked up the dusty puzzle, "Next time, you should be more careful who you challenge. Did you really think you had a chance against Weevil Underwood?! Hee hee hee…" Admiring his new prize, he hooked the puzzle onto the chain around his neck that held the other two he had been given to start with (a ring, and an eye), "That's three down, four to go! Thanks for your help, it's been a pleasure!" On that note, the cocky little dueling genius walked off, snickering to himself. 


	6. Chapter 6 The Second Duel: Revenge

Chapter 6

"The Second Duel: Revenge"

"Huh…jerk," Mai said, coming over to where the young woman was still sitting on the dusty street, head hung. "Who does he think he is, treating a lady like this?"

But Dedi was no longer thinking about her defeat…her energy was totally drained. She'd spent too much time in the physical realm…she was…losing control… There was a small flash of light and where Dedi (a blossoming young Egyptian woman of 20) had once sat, there now sat the true Tsuki Date (an 11 year-old girl with fair skin and short black hair). She looked up at Mai with a bemused look on her face, "Hi! Who're you?"

Mai looked down and her eyes grew wide with surprise and confusion, "HUH?!?" What had just happened?! "Um…I…uh…Who're you??"

"I asked first," the little girl said, standing up.

Mai sighed, "Yes…yes you did. The name's Mai Valentine. And you are…?"

"Tsuki Date, ma'am," the girl said.

'_Ma'am?_' Mai though, '_Boy, does that make me sound old…_'

"Um…kid…do you…uh…always look like this?" Mai asked, thinking how odd she must sound.

"I think so…" Tsuki said, "But sometimes, I can't remember how I end up in places like this…where am I, anyway?"

"As far as I can tell, in the middle of a street in this dusty old Egyptian town, having just been beaten by Weevil Underwood in a duel. He didn't hurt you, did he?" Mai asked, her confusion now being shoved aside for a maternal worry for the child.

"I don't think so…" Tsuki said, feeling herself, checking for injuries. Then her hand fell on her necklace and she cried out, "Oh no!"

"What?" Mai said.

"One of my charms in missing…" Tsuki said sullenly, holding out her necklace, which now only had the Millennium Scale.

"Weevil took it when he won the duel," Mai said, leaning down closer to her, "You really don't remember?"

"Uh-uh," Tsuki said sadly, shaking her head.

Mai couldn't help feel sorry for the kid. She looked at her own necklace, the four items sparking on the chain. She closed her eyes for a moment, not believing what she was about to do. She unhooked the mini Puzzle and held it out to Tsuki, "Here, you can have it."

"Really?" the little girl's silver eyes were shining as Mai dropped the item in her cupped hands. She latched it onto her own chain and then through her arms around Mai's waist, catching her totally off guard, "Thanks so much!"

"Okay, okay," Mai sat, patting the girl's head gently, "Don't get all mushy on me, now."

"Oh! Sorry," Tsuki said, quickly letting go.

"So…can I help you find your way back to…wherever it is you're staying?"

"Could you?" Tsuki said, "It's the Duelist's Main Hotel."

"No problem," Mai nodded, "That's where I'm staying, too. C'mon." She then took the little girl's hand and the two of them headed off.

* * *

"Thanks so much, Miss! Thanks for everything!" Tsuki cheerfully waved good-bye to Mai as she closed the door to her hotel room. Mai sighed and waved back. '_Miss?_ _Ah, well. Sweet kid, but a lousy duelist.'_ Soon enough Mai was heading out of the hotel. As she was about to walk away from the hotel, a loud voice called out, startling her. 

"I FOUND YOU! I knew I'd find you here somewhere!" A steaming Rex Raptor was charging up behind Mai, dressed fully in Egyptian getup, but instead of having a traditional turban like Shadi might wear, he had his same old red winter hat. 

Quickly composing herself, Mai turned to face Rex. She didn't even bother to suppress her smirk at his outfit. "Quite an ensemble you've got there, Rex," she said, "What is that? 'Geek of the Desert' motif?"

"Shut up! I'm not here to listen to your insults! I'm here to pay you back for humiliating me at Duelist Kingdom! So, are you ready to get eliminated from this tournament, Mai? You know that you can't beat me without cheating!" Recalling those old memories was quite painful. That wasn't going happen again. Rex was sure that with his dinosaurs that he could wipe Mai from this tournament and finally get him his revenge.

"CHEATING?!?" Mai cried, fuming, "Why you little brat! I could beat you with my hands tied behind my back – and I'll prove it, too! Right here, right now, Raptor!"

"Then let's go, Valentine!" Rex activated his Duel Disk 2, and the holo-projectors discharged, "Ready to lose, _cheater_?" The dino duelist began to draw his cards…

Mai activated her own Duel Disk 2 and drew her cards. "I don't need to cheat to defeat you, Rex," she said, "Ladies first, right?"

"Whatever. Go ahead," Rex surveyed his opening hand (Blackland Fire Dragon, Little Dinosaur, Meteor Dragon, Gryphon Wing, and Wasteland).

Mai looked down at her own hand (Harpie Lady, Harpie's Brother, Kanan the Swordsmistress, Shadow of Eyes, Monster Reborn, and Rising Air Current). "By the way, Rex, how many items are we wagering?"

"I'll put both of my items on the line. Whoever loses this duel will be out of the tournament. I know they say that you should be nice to girls, but I'll make an exception for you!" Rex sneered at Mia, holding out the mini-puzzle and a mini-necklace. Rex waited for Mai to take out her items and start the duel. Girls took so long to do anything.

"Fine with me, but I won't be getting eliminated, even if I do lose, Rex," she said, holding up her gold chain with its three items, "It seems I'm ahead of you already."

"What?!?! Grrr…" Rex cursed to himself. She was always one step ahead of him! But it didn't matter, not this time. Once she only had one item, it wouldn't be too hard for him to convince Weevil or someone to eliminate her.

"Now, I think it's my move," she said, "So I'll play Harpie Lady (1300/1400) in attack mode, along with the Field Card Rising Air Current, raising my lovely Harpie's attack points to 1800!" The blue-skinned, red-haired winged lady that had appeared on the street was surrounded with a gust of wind that came out of nowhere, and she grinned as her strength increased. "You're turn, Rex," Mai said, smirking.

Rex drew his card (Uraby) and grinned up at Mai, "I summon Uraby (1500/800) in attack mode!" A raptor-type dinosaur appeared on the field, snarling and snapping at the Harpie Lady, which looked down upon the beast with distain, "And I'll destroy your field card with one of my own: The Wasteland field, which raises the ATK and DEF power of all my dinosaurs by 200!" Instantly, the windy field was replaced by a desolate wasteland of blackish rock and toxic pools, "Now your lady is dino chow! Attack Uraby (1500+200/800+200)!" The dinosaur rushed forward and bit down on the Harpie Lady, sending her to the graveyard. Rex smiled cockily as he went 400 points in the lead: Rex: 4000 – Mai: 3600.

Mai clenched her teeth angrily. That was something she hadn't expected, but no matter. She drew her next card (Faith Bird) and said, "You're Wasteland won't save Uraby from this! I summon Harpie's Brother (1800/600), to avenge his fallen sister!" A tall, dark, winged man with wild black hair appeared on the street, looking fearless. "Go! Turn his dinosaur into a fossil!" she cried. Harpie's Brother flew forward and slashed through Uraby, sending him to the graveyard. "Ha ha ha!" Mai laughed, "Watch out, Rex! I'm catching up! You won't be in the lead much longer!" The score was now Rex: 3900, Mai: 3600. "And before I end my turn," she added, "I'll place this card (Shadow of Eyes) facedown for later."

Rex growled, "I'm going to further my lead, not lose it! Just you watch!" He drew his card (Tomozaurus), "I place one card face-down (Gryphon Wing), and I place one monster in DEF mode (Tomozaurus, 500/400)!"

"Well, that activates my trap, Shadow of Eyes!" Mai said, pressing the button on her duel Disk and activating the card. Instantly, Rex's down monster was flipped up into attack mode. She could hear his groan from across the field – it was priceless! "Then I'll play Faith Bird (1500/1100) in attack mode!" she said, laying the card down, "and attack!" The large blue bird that appeared on the field swooped down on Tomozaurus, crushing it. Rex went down 800 life points. Then Harpie's Brother soared in and cuffed Rex over the head, bringing him down by another 1800 life points. The score was now – Rex: 1400, Mai: 3600.

"Ohhhh…… shit!" Rex moaned. It had only been two turns and he was already about to lose. He drew his card (Pot of Greed) and he quickly placed it down on the field, "I play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two new cards." He drew his two cards (Dragon Treasure and Swords of Revealing Light). He grinned up at Mai, "I'm playing the Sword of Revealing Light card, which stops you from attacking for 3 turns! And I summon Blackland Fire Dragon to the field, with the Dragon Treasure equipped, bringing up his stats to 1800/1100 (1500+300/ 800+300)! And he'll destroy your little birdie!" The dark green dragon, with a prized treasure on his back, roared angrily and shot flames out of its mouth, which engulfed the Faith Bird, and dropped Mai's LP by 300. Rex: 1400 – Mai: 3300.

Mai frowned as the golden Swords of Revealing Light Surrounded her, keeping her from attacking. "Fine, Rex, have it your way," she said, "But you're only prolonging the inevitable!"

At that moment, Joey, Yugi, Tristan, Tea and Bakura all came around the corner. They had been on their way back to the Hotel, but their path was blocked by the duel that was going on.

"Hey guys, check that out!" Yugi cried, pointing towards Rex and Mai.

"Yeah, we see it, Yug," Joey said, "Looks like Rex is finally gettin' the rematch he wanted."

"Sounds interesting," Bakura said, "Let's get a closer look."

So they all gathered around to watch as Mai drew her next card (Gemini Elf (1900/900). "All right Rex, I'll play the Gemini Elf in attack mode, and end my turn." A pair of beautiful elf girls appeared on the street, arms linked, poised for action.

Raptor drew quickly (Lesser Dragon), "I summon the Lesser Dragon in attack mode (1200/1000), and end my turn," Rex folded his arms across his chest smugly, "And you still can't attack for two more turns!"

"I know the rules, Rex," Mai said irritably, "You don't have to remind me." She didn't need to be reminded of how the Swords of Revealing Light had cost her the duel with Yugi at Duelist Kingdom. She drew her next card (Pot of Greed). "Looks like it's my turn to be greedy," she said, laying it face-up on the duel disk, "Now I'll draw two new cards." She drew Cyber Shield and Rose Whip. '_Perfect,_' she thought, '_Now all I need to do is draw a Harpie Lady on my next turn!_'' "You're move, Raptor!"

Rex's smirk faded a little. What was she so happy about? He drew his card (Raimei), "I tribute my Lesser Dragon for a monster (Meteor Dragon (1800/2000)) in Defense mode. An' I'll play the Raimei card!" Small thunder clouds grew over Mai's side of the field, and lightning zipped down and struck Mai, decreasing her LP by 300. Rex: 1400 – Mai: 3000, "One more turn, Valentine! Heh heh…"

Mai did a little Team-Rocketish-Electrocution-Spaz as the lightning struck her. Off on the sidelines, a sweat drop formed on Joey's head and he sighed. Mai recovered quickly and glared at Rex, "You think that was funny, Raptor??" she said as he laughed. Still fuming, she drew her next card (Harpie Lady). "Perfect!" she said, "I'll play Harpie Lady in attack mode and equip her with Cyber Shield and Rose Whip, brining her up to 2100/1400 stats!" For the second time, the blue-skinned, red-haired Harpie appeared on the field, clad in the metal armor, and clutching the Rose Whip in one hand. "I'm all ready for what ever big, scary dinosaur you've got waiting for me, Rex!"

Rex drew his card (Tri-Horned Dragon) and the dinosaur expert grinned evilly at Mai, "I tribute both of my monsters for the all-powerful Tri-Horned Dragon (2850/2350)!!!" In a flash of light, a large blue and red dragon appeared on the field. It had spikes on its back, long, pointy claws on its hands and feet, and three razor sharp horns on the back of its head. It roared savagely at the Harpie Lady and her brother, each of whom took a step backward, eyes wide. The Gemini sisters did the same, "Go dragon, attack the Harpie's Brother!!!!" The dragon stomped forward furiously, and slashed twice at the Harpie's Brother, slicing it into hundreds of tiny pieces and significantly changing the score. Rex: 1400 – Mai: 1950. Rex continued to laugh and taunt Mai, now confident of his victory. 

Mai frowned and drew her next card – Graceful Charity, and placed it down on the field. "I play Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three new cards," she said, and drew Elegant Egotist, Swords of Revealing Light, and Spirit of the Books (1400/800). "Ha ha!" she said, "I'll discard two cards, like the rules say (Spirit of the Books and Kanan the Swordsmistress), and play Swords of Revealing Light, turning the tables on you, Raptor!" The swords, which had begun to fade around her, switched positions, to surround Rex instead. "And finally," she said, "I'll play the Elegant Egotist, bringing forward the Harpie Lady Sisters (1950/2100)! How do you like the odds now, Rex? Not looking too good, are they?"

"Don't get cocky, Valentine. You forget that I still have the all-powerful Tri-Horned Dragon on the field!" Rex replied angrily as he drew his card (Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1).

"But it doesn't do you much good with those swords in play, now does it?" A voice broke up Rex's rant from behind. Weevil was leaning against the wall of one of the buildings near the hotel, "If you had taken my advice and put more magic and trap cards in your deck, you wouldn't be in this predicament, Rex!" 

Rex went slightly red, "Just stay out of this, Underwood!" Raptor cried, flustered and slightly embarrassed, "I can handle myself! I play one card face down in Def mode (Winged Dragon… (1400/1200)), and end my turn."

"Even your bug-eyed friend is making fun of you, Rex," Mai said, grinning cruelly.

"Aww, if one of 'em isn't bad enough," Joey said, "Now we got both of the dork brothers to deal with."

"DORK BROTHERS!?!?!" both Rex and Weevil cried at the same time.

"Wheeler – when I'm through with her, I'm coming after you!" Rex said angrily.

"What he said!" Weevil added.

"Yeah, what're you gonna do?" Tristan taunted, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"Hey, cool it," Yugi said, "Come on guys, knock it off and let them get on with the duel!"

"Make you're move, Valentine," Rex growled.

"With pleasure," Mai said, and drew Premature Burial, "I'll play this card, paying 800 life points to bring back the first Harpie Lady you destroyed. And that ends my turn." The first Harpie reappeared on the field, bringing the total of Harpies up to five.

Rex snorted, then drew his card (Mesmeric Control), "I play another card in Def Mode (Little D.) and end my turn. Just one more turn and I'll destroy your pathetic Harpies, Mai!"

"We'll see about that!" Mai said, drawing her next card (Wall of Illusions, 1000/1850), and frowned. This wasn't what she'd needed. "I'll play this card in defense mode, and end my turn," she said, pouting.

Rex grinned arrogantly and drew his card (Crawling Dragon), "I play the Mesmeric Control card!" A large hand with a pendulum came out into the middle of the field and started to swing, "None of your monsters will be able to switch position during your next turn, so my Tri-Horned Dragon will be able to destroy your life points! And I'll tribute one monster (Little D.) for another in Defense mode (Crawling Dragon (1600/1400)). And now, your Swords are gone!" Rex began to laugh. Revenge would finally be his! The score was now Rex: 1400, Mai: 1150.

Mai was starting to worry. This next card would make or break the duel for her. Rex's abilities had improved, as well as his deck. Once filled with nothing but monsters, he'd learned how to use magic and trap cards. Holding her breath, she drew her card. Her face broke into an almost evil grin. It was Harpies' Pet Dragon!! "Ha ha ha!!" she laughed, "It's all over for you, Rex! I tribute Wall of Illusions and Gemini Elf for Harpies' oh-so-cuddly Pet Dragon!!" 

She made the switch and on the street appeared the large red-and-black dragon, the chain around its neck being held by the original Harpie Lady. "And with all my Harpies on the field, that brings my Dragon's stats up to 2900/3400!! Strong enough to blow away your silly, little Tri-Horned Dragon, now isn't it!! Attack!" The dragon roared and a blast of holographic fire destroyed the Tri-Horned Dragon! Rex:1350 – Mai: 1150

"Next, go Harpie Ladies! Attack his face down cards!" she ordered. And the two red-headed Harpies swooped down and eliminated his Crawling Dragon and Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress. "And finally…" Mai said, "Harpie Lady Sisters, attack Rex directly!!"

The three fierce sisters swooped in and wrapped their arms around Rex's neck, which snapped him out of his defeated daze. He gulped nervously; what were they going to do him? Simultaneously, the sisters leaned in and kissed the dino duelist: one on the left cheek, one on the right, and one on the forehead. 

Joey felt a sweat ball form on his head, and he covered Yugi's eyes ("Hey, what's going on? I can't see! What's happening Joey?"). Tristan smacked himself on the forehead, and a small "Oh my," was heard from Bakura. Tea muttered something about how Mai's monsters were just as low as she was.

Not quite what Mai had been expecting, but no less effective. Rex was going red, and Weevil was making a disgusted face. Then, surprisingly, the three sisters made eye contact for a brief second and concurrently kneed the unsuspecting Rex in the stomach, sending the teen to his knees, clutching his midriff. His life points dropped to 0, and the monsters disappeared, the duel over. Mai had won.

Mai laughed triumphantly, "Who's the top duelist now, Rex, huh?" she said, crossing the dusty street, "I won. Now hand over both your items."

Rex looked up at her, his eyes large and puppy-like.

"Don't you give me that look, Raptor," she said, "It's not going to work on me. Now give."

Rex turned his eyes to the ground and held out his chain, "Take them," he whimpered.

"I will, thank you," she said, snatching them up, "That's five down, two to go!" she said as she hooked the new items to her chain.

"Way to go, Mai!" Joey said, as he and Yugi rushed over to her.

"Thanks," she said, giving Joey a wink, "How're you two faring?" 

"I haven't found anyone to duel yet," Yugi moaned, "It's so hard to tell who's competing and who isn't, what with everyone wearing these big clothes," he said, tugging at his white cloak.

"True," Mai said, "And they're so unflattering for my figure…" She smoothed out her own cloak, which was a crème color. "A girl with a body like mine should not have to drown it in all this fabric, you know?"

"Um…" Yugi went very red, and Joey started drooling.

Off on the side of the street, Tea muttered, "Slut."

In the background, Rex was wringing Weevil's neck.

* * *

Meanwhile, roaming the streets on the other side of the town, a man with a symbol like a shield on his cloak was searching for a boy. His master had ordered him to test the boy with the Puzzle, and he wouldn't fail him…


	7. Chapter 7 Trouble From the Ring

Chapter 7

"Trouble From The Ring"

"It was the strangest thing," Mai said, "One minute there was a full-grown woman sitting there, and the next she was a little girl." She was describing the events of her afternoon to the group, as Yugi had asked how she'd wound up with an odd number of mini-items. 

"That is strange," Yugi said.

"Actually," said Tea, "It sounds a little bit like you, Yugi."

"Huh?" Yugi asked, looking a little nervous, "What do you mean?"

"She means it sounds a lot like you and the Spirit of you're Puzzle," Joey said, "Come to think of it, I can't believe we never saw the difference between the two of you, in the beginning."

"Guys!" Yugi said quietly, "Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this right now…" He pointed a finger at Mai.

"Don't worry about me," she said, noticing his unease, "I know all about you're Egyptian friend."

"You…do…?" Yugi asked.

"Please, after the whole ordeal at Kaiba's tournament, how could I not?" she shrugged, "So you think this girl has the same kind of thing going on?"

"Maybe," Yugi said, "Did you see anything that looked like a Millenium Item on her?"

Mai shook her head, "Not besides the mini-ones," she said, "But she did have a backpack with her. Maybe she kept it there."

"That's probably it," Joey said, "Not all the items can be worn, after all."

"We probably should check it out," Tristan suggested.

"Yeah," Yugi said.

Then a low rumbling sound was heard and they all turned to look at Joey, how had one hand on his stomach. "Uh…can we get somthin' to eat first?" he asked, grinning sheepishly, "I'm starvin'!"

"You and your stomach, Wheeler," Mai groaned.

"Sure – why not?" Yugi said, "I always think best after I've eaten anyway."

"All right! It's chow time!" said Tristan happily. He and Joey rushed inside the Hotel, with Mai, Tea and Yugi following after.

As Yugi and his friends continued to walk, one person remained behind, unnoticed. Where Bakura had been just seconds before, now stood the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, grinning evilly to himself, '_So, one of the Millennium Items resides with a little girl?!? I wouldn't have thought it possible for anyone to be so careless, but these mortals can be that foolish_.' The now-freed thief entered the hotel. No one would stop him from taking an item from a meager child. He pulled out the Millenium Ring from under his shirt, and it began to point upwards. Grinning maliciously, the ancient burglar began the long climb to the top of the hotel…

* * *

Inside the Hotel's Restaurant, the group was sitting at a booth with Joey and Tristan on one side, Mai and Tea on the opposite side, and Yugi on the end. "Hey guys?" Yugi said, in between bites of his odd Egyptian dish, "Have any of you seen Bakura?"

Joey and Tristan were far too busy stuffing themselves with foreign food to give any notice, but Tea and Mai glanced around.

"He was right behind us when we came in here," Tea said, "Wasn't he?"

"Where would he have gone?" Mai wondered.

"I dunno," Yugi shrugged, and then thought to himself, '_I sure hope his Spirit isn't causing any trouble…_'

* * *

Standing just outside a door on the top floor, Yami Bakura looked down at his ring once more, which was violently pointing at the door. Reaching for the door knob, the white-haired freak only took slight notice that it was locked. Turning harder, the lock mechanism inside the door broke and he stepped into the room cautiously. 

Little Tsuki Date was sitting on the couch in the living room of her family's penthouse suit, with her Duel Monsters cards spread out over the coffee table. She looked up as she heard the doorknob turn, "Mama? Papa?" she said. 

She walked over to the door and was going to unlock it, when the lock was broken and a white-haired stranger stepped inside. She got hit by the door and fell backwards onto the floor. She looked up at the strange man, frightened. "Wh-who are you?" she stammered, "What do you want?"

Still grinning like a madman (which, uh… he is), Yami Bakura looked down upon the small child, "It is of no concern to you what I am called, but what I want is… your Millenium Item!" He ran a hand through his long, spiky white hair, as if bothered by what must come next, and tried to make himself look more friendly (that's a task, isn't it?), and knelt down to look at her, "Unfortunately, I must win it from you in a duel in order to truly access the powers it possesses. So, little girl, would you like to play a shadow game with me?" 

Small children could be either fooled by friendliness, or intimidated by fear. The spirit of the ring preferred the latter method, but he now knew of the ancient writings that spoke of a true power being unlocked by a fair win. What a foolish concept, but if it were true… 

"Ah…A what?" she asked nervously, backing away.

Yami Bakura stood up and took a step towards the child, "A shadow game. A game played by the ancients of this very country, used to determine who would hold more magical power. I'll wager my Millenium Ring on a game of Duel Monsters. And you could place your Item on the line," He smiled at her, trying not to let the greed he was feeling show on his face, and pulled out his deck.

"Duel Monsters…?" she said, "But…I've never been very good at that…and what item are you talking about?" She scooted a few more feet away, and her back hit the side of the couch. 

His smiled flickered for a second and he recovered. Getting the true power of her item couldn't possibly be worth this aggravation. The evil spirit's eyes grew cold and he stared down at the girl, "Your Millenium Item. My Ring tells me that you have one. Right over there..." He pointed towards her backpack, where his Ring was still aiming.

She made a quick grab for her backpack, clutching it protectively to her chest. She could feel the scale through the fabric, but what did he want with it? Her parents had told her that it was made of real gold – he probably wanted to sell it. "No! You can't have it!" she said, scrambling to her feet and pushing past him out the door and into the hallway.

Taken aback, he let her get out of the door- a mistake, "Get back here!" He ran after her, and managed to grab her arm before she turned the corner, and began to chant an ancient Egyptian spell, that would take them to the Shadow Realm.

"Let go of me!!" Tsuki cried, frightened tears stinging her eyes. There was a bright flash of light from the backpack that she still had a death grip on and as the blinding light vanished, Dedi stood, where Tsuki had once been. Still worn out from her duel with Weevil, she stood tall, trying not to show her fatigue.

Shocked by this change, Yami Bakura stopped murmuring to himself and backed up a step, "Well, well…what have we here?" His eyes looked her up and down. The skirt that the girl had been wearing hadn't left, and it was very short on this much taller woman. The shirt sleeves were also tight and short, and she seemed to be breathing heavily, which made her chest rise and fall. This was the spirit of that item? It must be the Scale, "The pharaoh's loyal lover, eh? Nice tits, whore," He folded his arms over his chest; he had nothing to fear from this one.

But he couldn't have been more wrong. The woman reared back and punched him dead in the face, sending him to the ground. "First you threaten my vessel, and now you insult me?" she spat, standing over him angrily, "What gives you that right, miserable street rat?" She remembered this man – he was a notorious thief…and _very_ rude. But she was weak now, and the adrenaline that was powering her now was bound to run out soon…

He got up holding his hand to his face, his nose bleeding. But he began to laugh softly, "Was that the best that you could do? If it was, then you should just hand over the Scale now. Your vessel refused to duel me for control of our items because she knew that you were no match for me. I almost felt sorry for that little girl, having to live with such a loser."

Dedi frowned, "My vessel and I have no business with you. She doesn't have to duel for her item if she doesn't want to." 

* * *

Down in the restaurant, Yugi felt his Puzzle start to vibrate. He looked down at it, as it started to glow. "Huh?" he said, and instantly transformed into Yami, the Spirit of the Millenium Puzzle. 

Yami got up from the table roughly, "I have to go," he said and dashed out of the room, leaving the others all thoroughly confused.

"Huh? Hey, Yugi! Wait up!" Joey called as he and Tristan abandoned their food and took off after him. 

"Where are you boys going?" Mai said, as she and Tea also leapt up from the table and followed after.

Yami dashed through the hallways, he could sense Millennium Magic at work, and had a bad feeling that Bakura's Spirit was up to no good!

* * *

He took a threatening step toward Dedi, a malevolent look in his eyes. He could tell that she had been previously weakened and that would give him all the advantage he needed, "You don't have a choice in the matter! You can die at my hands and I'll take the item, or you can fight for it in a duel!" Yami Bakura grinned savagely, "Either way works for me…"

Dedi didn't budge, but she was worried, any moment now she would lose control again and she didn't want to leave Tsuki to deal with all this.

But at that moment, Yami appeared at the end of the hallway, white cloak billowing around him as he skidded to a halt at the scene. "Spirit of the Ring!" he cried, "What's the meaning of this?"

Yami Bakura didn't even look up. The annoying pharaoh was interfering again, but not this time, "Stay out of this, Yami! This has nothing to do with you! I've already issued my challenge here! The ancient scriptures say that not even the pharaoh could interfere with Millenium challenges…" He looked up at Yami with intense abhorrence, "SO BUTT OUT!!!!!"

Yami was a bit taken aback. Butt out?!? How dare he!! "I won't allow you to hurt this…er…woman…" Yami had stridden nearer to them now and the person Bakura's Spirit was threatening was distracting him. He felt himself go red as he looked her over. There was something about her that was very arousing, and he couldn't seem to shake it. He forced himself to look away from her, and faced Yami Bakura once again, "You've got to stop living in the past, Bakura."

Dedi, for her part, was staring at Yami wide-eyed. Just like so many years ago, her beloved had come to her rescue. But he didn't recognize her…his memories had been hidden from him. The thought of this hurt. "Yami…" she said softly.

Yami was startled. She knew his name. "Huh?" he turned to look at her, and felt his cheeks go red again. Just looking at her was making him so uneasy. He didn't like it. Not one bit.

Yami Bakura couldn't believe what was happening? Didn't they realize that this wasn't the time for a moment?!?! Seizing the instant, Yami Bakura ran towards the woman and slammed into her with his shoulder. Surprised, she fell to the ground, and the evil Bakura grabbed the backpack. Instantly, Dedi became Tsuki, who was once again disoriented. Laughing nastily, the spirit of the Ring made to run off with the Item, already feeling his power beginning to grow. 

And he ran straight into Joey, who'd been climbing the stairs after Yami. Joey was thrown backwards into Tristan, who hit Tea, who hit Mai! And they all wound up in a heap on the hallway floor. 

"Joey! Get the backpack!" cried Yugi, who'd willed himself to take control of his body once more.

"Eh? Right!" Joey said, quickly trying to pull the backpack out of Yami Bakura's hands.

"No!" Yami Bakura cried, holding tight. Then Tristan hit him hard over the head and he fell forward, unconscious. 

Joey yanked the backpack out of the Spirit's hands and stood up. "Thanks, Tristan," he said, helping his friend to his feet.

"That's what I'm here for," Tristan said.

Tea and Mai struggled to untangle themselves, as Yugi looked down at Tsuki. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

In response, Tsuki jumped up and wrapped her arms around Yugi's neck, "You saved me! Thank you so much!"

"Um…you're welcome," Yugi said, blushing.

"Yeah, sure, **_he_** saved her," Joey muttered.

"What are you complaining about?' Tristan said, "She's just a little kid."

"True," Joey nodded, "And hey! Now we've got something to rag Yugi about!"

"Is that the girl you were talking about?" Tea asked Mai.

She nodded, "That's her all right – in her little-girl form."

There was a slight lapse in the talking, which made for an awkward silence.

Tea's voice broke up the odd scene, "So… what exactly happened here?"


	8. Chapter 8 Character Development

Chapter 8

"Character Development!"

"I'm terribly sorry," Bakura said, "I hope I didn't frighten you too badly." They were all sitting in the room that the boys shared, and Bakura had returned to normal when they woke him up. 

"I-it's okay," Tsuki said, giving a nervous smile. She was sitting next to Yugi and holding his arm tightly, still clearly shaken. Yugi, on the other hand, was more unnerved by the fact that he had a girl clinging to him, than the previous near-outbreak of violence that had just occurred. 

"Yeah, and I'm sorry I bashed ya, back there, Bakura," Tristan said.

Bakura gingerly rubbed the bump on the back of his head, "I suppose if the Spirit was acting up, it was all for the best," he said, "I just wish he'd take his injuries with him when he leaves."

They all had a small laugh at that and then Mai turned to Tsuki, "Honey, where are your parents? Shouldn't they be with you? It's getting late."

"Oh, their meeting probably ran late," Tsuki said, "And they forgot to call. They do that sometimes."

"Well," Yugi said, "If you want, I'm sure Tea wouldn't mind if you stayed in her room tonight."

"Sure," Tea nodded, "You can leave a note in your room to let them know where you are when they do get home."

Tsuki smiled for real for the first time since they'd met her, "That'd be great! Thank you so much!"

"Hey, Yug," Joey said, grinning slyly, "Wouldn't you rather she stay here in our room?" He raised an eyebrow teasingly and Yugi felt himself go beet red.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Joey!" he cried, spazzing with his one free arm.

"That's Yugi for you," Mai said, leaning back in her chair, "A gentleman to the end."

"Unlike **_some_** people," Tea said, glaring at Joey and Tristan, who both grinned widely.

"Speaking of sharing rooms," Mai said, "Tea – would you mind if I bunked out with you and the kid? I'm a little short on cash these days."

"I'd like that," Tsuki said, looking to Tea, "Can she?"

Tea would've liked nothing more than to turn Mai down, but everyone was watching and she didn't want to seem jealous or mean or anything. After all, the guys all _loved _Mai (but what guy wouldn't?). She sighed, and then forced a smile, "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Thanks, hon," Mai said.

So it was settled. Tsuki finally let go of Yugi's arm and all three girls crossed the hall into their room. Yugi sighed and then felt someone watching him. He looked up – to find that all three of his roommates were grinning at him. "What?" he asked, already knowing (and dreading) what was coming next.

"So, whadda ya think of her, Yug?" Joey said, smirking.

"What are you talking about?" Yugi asked, blushing.

"Sure, she's scrawny now," Tristan said, "But give it a few years, and I'm sure she'll start developing – if you know what I mean."

"Would you guys knock it off!" Yugi cried, frustrated and spazzing.

"Oh yeah – he's got it bad," Joey said and Tristan nodded confidently.

"Go what…?" Yugi asked, this time truly confused.

"The hots for that girl," Joey said simply, and Yugi went an even deeper shade of red.

"Come on, guys," Bakura said suddenly, "Knock it off. If Yugi doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't have to."

"Yeah! Yeah!" Yugi said hurriedly, "Thanks Bakura."

"Certainly," Bakura nodded, "After all, your feeling for the girl aren't really any of our business."

"Man, you're no fun," Tristan sighed.

Joey put a hand behind his head, "Sorry, Yug – guess it was kinda insensitive."

"It's okay, but just drop it, alright?" Yugi said.

"No sweat," Joey said, as Yugi stood up and headed for his part of the room, "We can talk more tomorrow!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the girl's room, Mai was surveying the territory. "Only two beds, eh?" she said, "I guess that means somebody's gonna have to share."

"I don't mind," Tsuki said.

"Me neither," Mai told her, putting a hand on the little girl's head and ruffling her hair, "You can stick with me."

"Okay!" Tsuki said, smiling, "I sleep better if I have something to snuggle anyway."

'_Snuggle?_' thought Mai and Tea at the same time.

"Um…" Tea began, "Maybe that's not…"

"Don't worry about it," Mai said, waving off Tea's worry, "I think I understand what she's saying. When you were young and had a nightmare, didn't you always crawl into bed with your parents? It's a security thing. This poor girl's been through a lot today, haven't you, honey?" she said, patting Tsuki's cheek.

Tsuki nodded, "Yeah…but I feel a lot better now, thanks to all of you."

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm exhausted," Mai said, "Hanging around with you guys never fails to wear me out. I say we get some shut-eye."

"I'm all for that," Tea said, going over to the dresser. She gathered up her night-clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Is that really necessary?" Mai asked, and Tea turned. Mai was sitting on one of the two beds now, opening up the duffle-bag she'd been carrying. "I mean we're all girls here, aren't we? Now let's see if we can't find _you_ anything," she said to Tsuki, who was sitting next to her.

Tea felt herself go a little red. Change if front of them? It was one thing when she was forced to do so for Gym class at school, but this was completely different!! 

"What are you afraid of?" Mai asked, not even looking up, but sensing her nervousness, "Ah! Here we go!" She pulled a pair of nightshirts out of the bag and handed one to Tsuki. 

Stiffly, Tea sat down on the second bed and set her things down. Mai stood up and pulled her cloak off over her head. Underneath, she had a new version of the outfit she'd worn at Battle City; this time it was a dark plum color. Tsuki was untying her tie and pulling off her sweater (she had been dressed in her school uniform).

Reluctantly, Tea began unbuttoning her shirt. She cast a wary glance over at Mai and found she was pulling the strings loose on her top. When she finished that, she slipped it off, exposing her sexy, halter-top, black bra. Tea looked down at her own pale pink one and wished there was some way to get her night shirt on without letting Mai see it. 

Tsuki, who had now stripped down as far as her white, sleeveless undershirt, found herself staring at Mai in a sort of jealous wonder. "They're _so_ _big_…" she said under her breath. Mai caught her eye, and grinned sympathetically. Tsuki clapped both hands over her mouth and turned away quickly. "I'm so sorry!" she said, "I didn't mean to…"

"Hey, don't sweat it, kid," Mai said putting an arm around the girl's shoulders, "Those will be coming soon enough. You've just gotta be patient, that's all. As for you…" she said, looking over at Tea, who cringed at being noticed, "I'm afraid you've done all the growing you're going to do."

"I didn't ask for you're opinion," Tea said, going red again.

"Sorry," Mai said, realizing she'd struck a nerve, "But I'm just being honest." She let go of Tsuki and looked down at herself, "Besides – it's not like these babies guarantee happiness, you know."

"Huh?" Tea looked up, confused, "Uh…what do you mean?"

"I'm still single aren't I?" Mai shrugged, adjusting herself absent-mindedly, which was making it very hard for Tea to take her seriously, "Trust me – you've got just as much chance as anybody to score a good boyfriend. Sometimes it just takes them a while to find you."

"Yeah…" Tea nodded, actually taking to heart what Mai was saying. Maybe she wasn't _so_ bad after all. 

"Yep," Mai said, "Guys are stupid that way." Then she slipped off her skirt, revealing black, lacy panties that matched her bra, "Sometimes you just have to help them get the hint."

Tea's eyes went line-and-dot. '_Then again…maybe I shouldn't change my mind so fast…_' she thought.

Mai pulled the nightshirt over her head and sat back down, as Tsuki did the same. Tea finished changing as well and climbed into the bed. Mai through back the covers on her bed and Tsuki climbed onto the mattress. Mai slipped in next to the girl and pulled the covers up over them both. "You get some sleep now, okay? I don't want to hear a sound."

Tsuki nodded and Mai kissed her forehead. "Good night," Tsuki said, her eyelids drooping already. 

"Yeah, ditto," Mai said, settling in, "Sleep well, Tea."

"Huh? Oh, yeah…you too…" Tea said, shutting off the light.

All three of them lay in the darkness in silence, only the light of the moon shining in every time the clouds parted. But as calming as the night was, Mai couldn't quite get to sleep, despite how drained she was. She sighed, and then felt something shift on the mattress and looked down. Tsuki had rolled over in her sleep and had wrapped her arms around Mai's mid-section. Mai smiled softly, and stroked the girl's ebony hair. Something about this felt right. She figured it was her maternal instincts kicking in, which surprised even her. But she didn't really want to give it much thought. Soon she too drifted off to sleep.

* * *

In the boys' room, each one was sprawled out on their own bed, snoring.


	9. Chapter 9 The Third Duel: Enemies

Chapter 9

"The Third Duel: Enemies"

Yugi was quite sour when he went to bed but felt considerably better when he woke up the next morning. Yawning, Yugi hooked the Puzzle around his neck. Announcing to no one in particular, Yugi stood up and said, "I'm going to duel today!"

"Wonderful Yugi, but it's only 6:30, could you keep it down?"

Startled, Yugi looked over and saw Yami lying on the bed, with his pillow over his head, "Aww, come on Spirit! It's a bright new day and I feel ready for anything! Let's go eat!"

Yami responded by turning away from Yugi, who sighed.

'_Ah well. This sourpuss isn't going to spoil my day_,' with a smile on his face, Yugi left the room to go find breakfast.

With a groan, Yami disappeared and was once again within Yugi's mind (he and Yugi could only be so far apart while he wore the Puzzle).

Yugi knew that none of the others would be awake yet either, so he ate alone in the hotel restaurant, then left to get an early start on the tournament. He still hadn't found anyone to duel, which really made him feel bad. Mai had five of the seven needed items already and according to her, Weevil was even ahead of him and Joey, with three!

The Egyptian streets were still and quiet, and there was a nice cool breeze, which could really fool a person who hadn't visited Egypt before. The blazing heat would come without warning, threatening to melt anything in its path. Yugi decided not to think about that, and enjoy the moment. 

His tranquility was soon interrupted when Yugi heard yelling somewhere in the distance. Quickening his pace, Yugi headed towards the noise, hoping that there wasn't more danger to contend with. He was beginning to think that this tournament was every bit as risky as the Battle City one had been. 

Yugi didn't have to go far. He saw, standing in the middle of the street, was a tall man with a strange cloak on and an old 'friend', Bones. The zombie duelist was shaking slightly, and Yugi watched as the man commanded several different monsters to attack, each of whom attacked Bones directly, knocking the child to the ground. His LP dropped to 0, and the duel was over.

"How?! How could you defeat my zombies?! They were just right for that card you played! So why…?" The creepy little duelist was looking up at the man from the sandy street, a pleading look in his eyes, as he pulled out his one item (there was only one on the chain he had around his neck).

The man looked disdainfully down at the one-time crony, "Why? Because your strategies are clumsy and your pride clouds your judgment. But your zombies were a good warm up...," He looked right at Yugi, who was still standing near several buildings, a good dozen yards or more away, "…For the real battle."

Yugi gulped and felt a sweat drop slide slowly down the back of his neck, '_Yami… I think that this is your department,_' there was a flash of light and Yami Yugi appeared where Yugi had been seconds before. Yami intrepidly walked towards the stranger, "Is that a challenge?"

The older man smiled, "So, you have accessed your Millennium Item for this battle. My master warned me of this possibility. But I do not fear the power of your Item, Pharaoh. I have the protection of a far greater Item than the Puzzle."

Yami growled softly. How did this man know of the Millennium Items? And what did he mean, a more powerful Item? Yami looked the taller man up and down, and saw the symbol of the shield on his cloak. Yami smirked, "That's your protection? The Millennium Shield? That's not a real Item, but merely the product of a madman's imagination!"

Thoroughly scared and rather confused, Bones was slowly crawling away. He stood up and was about to make his getaway, when he turned and called out to 'Yugi', "Hey, Yugi! This guy is really good! He has this card called-" Bones was cut off suddenly, and was slowly lifted into the air. The cloaked figure had the glowing symbol of the Millennium Eye on his forehead, and there were a strange pair of eyes in the sky behind him (Yami was sure that he was the only one that could see them). He had raised an arm, and Bones had risen into the air. The man violently thrust his arm forward and Bones flew down the street, then tumbled away. 

Yami frowned, "Your magic is strong – but it won't save you," he said sternly, "Now are we going to duel, or what?"

The symbol faded and the eyes narrowed, but disappeared just as quickly. He nodded slowly, "Very well. I'll wager two of my three items on this duel," He revealed his necklace, which had three items dangling from it.

Yami didn't even flinch, "Two items. Now, LET'S DUEL!" Yami's DD2 (Duel Disk 2) powered up and thrust out its holo-projectors. He began to draw cards, faintly wondering what surprises this first duel would hold for him.

His opponent did the same, and then called out to Yami, "Since you were the challenger, then the challenged gets to play first!"

Yami laughed softly, "It doesn't matter; either way you're going to lose, whoever you are!"

"Hmmph… We'll see. By the way Yami, my name is Ambrosius, and I work for the all-powerful Lord Jetsu!" The mysterious stranger observed his opening hand (Leghul, Nimble Momonga, Kisetai, Sparks, Goblin's Secret Remedy, and Blue Medicine) and frowned. This was a good start, but he needed his trump card, the card that his master had assured him would be the downfall of the ancient Pharaoh. 

"I'll play three magic cards! First I play the Blue Medicine card, which will raise my Life Points by 400!" A large jug appeared on the field and spread a blue liquid all around his side of the field, which was absorbed, and sent the stranger's LP up by 400. Yami: 4000 - Ambrosius: 4400.

"Next, I use the Goblin's Secret Remedy, which increases my LP by another 600 points!" A pair of leaves spread a thick pollen around Ambrosius' side of the field, which again raised his LP, making the score: Yami: 4000 - Ambrosius: 5000.

Yami cursed to himself. He hadn't even made a move yet, and this man was already 1000 points in the lead!

Ambrosius smirked sinisterly, "I set one monster in defense mode (Nimble Momonga (1000/100)). And finally, I play the Sparks card! This card will reduce your LP by 200, furthering my lead!" Several small tongues of flame danced around Yami, and dropped his LP slightly. Yami: 3800 - Ambrosius: 5000.

The ancient pharaoh looked down at the six cards that he was holding (Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts, Senju of the 1000 Hands, Summoned Skull, Horn of Heaven, Gravekeeper's Servant, and Malevolent Nuzzler) and sighed. Not a bad hand, but it certainly wouldn't have the impression that his opponent's first move had had, "I summon Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1200)!" A large lion-type animal with a horn appeared on the field, snarling and growling at Ambrosius, "Then I play the Gravekeeper's Servant! Whenever your monsters attack, you'll have to discard the top card from your deck!" Yami smiled, "I hope that that doesn't put a cramp in your grand plans. Now I'll set a card face down (Horn of Heaven) and attack! Go, Gazelle!" The lion rushed forward and slashed down at the card across from him. A flying squirrel appeared for an instant and was shattered. Yami frowned. That had been too easy.

His opponent laughed, "You've attacked the Nimble Momonga, O Great One! If sent to the graveyard, then I gain 1000 LP, and I can search for another to automatically play face-down in Def. mode! HA HA!" The score changed again (Yami: 3800 - Ambrosius: 6000) and where the first squirrel had been, there became another card face-down.

Ambrosius drew his card (Muka Muka) and did some quick calculations in his head. Muka Muka always started with 600/300 stats. But for each card in his hand, the monster gain 300/300. He had only two cards in his hand, so this card would have to be saved for later. Instead, **** took Kisetai and laid it face-down on the field, "I place one monster in Defense mode, and end my turn."

Yami carefully picked up his next card (Alpha the Magnet Warrior), and announced his next move, "I will sacrifice my Gazelle, for the Summoned Skull! And I equip him with Malevolent Nuzzler, which increases his ATK by 700!" Gazelle disappeared in a bright flash of light, and was replaced by the fierce-looking Summoned Skull, who was getting a shoulder rub from a green, demon-type woman (what an odd mental picture, no?). His stats rose to (3200/1200), and Yami raised his hand, "Go, Summoned Skull, attack the monster on the right!" The mighty fiend clapped his hands together, and formed a lightning ball. The monster raised it above its head, and fired it at the face-down card. 

Ambrosius started to laugh again, as the monster known as Kisetai rushed forward and attached itself to the Summoned Skull, "My leech, Kisetai, will attach itself to the first monster that attacks it. Since you were so kind as to power up your Summoned Skull so much, my leech will give me 1600 more LP every time it's your turn!"

Yami cursed himself, and shouted back, "I know what the Kisetai card does, now make your move!"

"Very well, but you may as well just quit now," He again picked up a card (Ooguchi) and added it to his hand. Where was his trump card? "I pass this turn, but that means more LP for me!" The leech on Summoned Skull glew brightly for a second, then the score changed again. Yami: 3800 - Ambrosius: 7600.

Yami drew his card, concerned for the first time. His opponent was performing admirably, and his LP was now doubled of what he, the duel monsters champion, had! This man was beating him at every turn, and Yami remembered worriedly that he had bet both of his items on this duel! He had never lost a fair duel in his life, but at this rate, this could be the start of a very bad trend!

* * *

Back at the Hotel, in the girl's room, Tsuki was the first one awake. She sat up and yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. It took her a moment to get a hold on where she was, but once she saw Mai sleeping soundly next to her, it all came together. 

"Miss Mai," she said softly, gently nudging Mai, "Wake up! Come on!"

Mai moaned and rolled over onto her side, facing away from Tsuki.

"Come _on_," Tsuki said, shaking her.

"Okay, okay!" Mai gave up, turning back to face the girl, "What's up, kid? Sleep well?"

"Uh-huh," Tsuki nodded, "How 'bout you?"

"Just fine, thanks," Mai said, sitting up and stretching. She turned to look at the other bed, where Tea was still fast asleep, wrapped up tightly in the covers. "Hmmm…if we're up, then everyone should be up, don't you think?" she said.

"Yeah!" Tsuki nodded enthusiastically.

"Hey, sleeping beauty!" Mai called, taking a pillow from their bed and lobbing it at Tea, "Rise and shine!"

The pillow hit its target perfectly, and Tea woke with a start, sitting up and looking around, panicked, "Huh – wha-?" She glanced over at Mai and Tsuki and they both waved cheerily. Tea frowned, "Oh…what do you two want?"

"Breakfast!" Tsuki chirped.

"Yeah," Mai said, "And we thought we'd be nice and invite you."

"Sure…me and my wallet," Tea said and Mai just grinned guiltily. She sighed, "Well, we might as well get the boys, too."

"Sounds fair enough," Mai shrugged.

"You mean I'll get to see Yugi again?" Tsuki asked.

"You've really got a thing for him, don't you?" Mai said teasingly, ruffling the girl's hair.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Tsuki admitted, "Is that bad?"

"No, of course not," Mai shook her head.

'_I just hope Yugi feels the same way_,' Tea thought to herself, '_I'd hate to see Tsuki get hurt…_' 

A short while later, all three girls were dressed and leaving their room. They crossed the hall and Mai reached for the doorknob. 

"Wait a minute!" Tea said, "Don't you think we should knock? I'm sure they have it locked."

"Please," Mai said, "They're guys. They're not that smart." She turned the doorknob and the door opened. "See?" she said, and as Tea spazzed nervously, she walked right in, with Tsuki following behind her. 

The Egyptian morning sunlight was pouring in on the boys as they slept, oblivious to it entirely. Mai cocked her head, "Aww…how cute," she said, "Well – enough of that. WAKE UP, BOYS!!" she said loudly.

Joey, Tristan and Bakura all woke up at the same instant, and tumbled out of their beds, startled. Mai stifled a giggle, as each boy was clad only in a T-Shirt and boxers, and Tsuki went slightly red. Tea, who had come in a quickly shut the door behind her, sweat-dropped.

"Owie…" Joey muttered, sitting up and rubbing his head, "Who…?" He looked up and the first thing he saw was Mai, grinning down at him. "Aaaahh!" he cried, "Mai!! What're you doin' in here?!"

"Just thought we'd make sure you boys didn't sleep your day away," Mai shrugged.

"You could've at least knocked," Tristan said, blushing slightly. Behind him, Bakura was trying to hide, redder than everyone else in the room.

"Hey…" said Tea, "Where's Yugi?"

"Huh?" everyone said, looking around. It was true – Yugi was nowhere to be seen!

"I hope he's okay…" Tsuki said quietly.

"Aw, don't worry kid," Joey said, waving a hand nonchalantly, "Knowing Yug, he probably wanted to get a head start on the tournament today."

"In that case," Tristan said, standing up, and leaving Bakura to spazz on the floor, "We'd better get out there and find him."

"Right," Joey nodded, "So if you ladies will give us a minute, we'll meet ya at the front entrance."

"Fine," Mai said, and headed out the door, "But you'd better be quick." Tsuki hurried after her and Tea followed suit, but not before casting one last glance at Tristan, who had begun searching for his clothes.

* * *

The primordial ruler took another look at his card (Magic Drain), and smirked slightly. _'That should help later,'_ he thought as he placed it face-down on the field. With a plan in mind, Yami began to make some strategic decisions quickly in his head, "I play Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700), in Attack mode!" The shiny, silver warrior made entirely of red-and-blue tipped magnets, appeared on the field next to Summoned Skull, "Go Summoned Skull, attack the Nimble Momonga!" Again Summoned Skull attacked and another squirrel appeared.

His opponent began to gloat, "More LP for me-"

"Not so fast, I'm also activating a trap card, the Horn of Heaven!" A large, golden horn appeared on the field.

"WHAT?!?!"

"That's right; The Horn of Heaven allows me to sacrifice one of my monsters to negate the summon of your monster and destroy it! Since your Momonga only gives you LP when it is destroyed because of battle, you won't get any benefit from this! Plus, your leech is gone!" Summoned Skull and his little band he had acquired disappeared and the flying squirrel did as well, "But I'm not done! Go Alpha, attack him directly!!!!" The magnet warrior flew forward, raised its sword, and brought it down upon the cloaked man, adjusting the score appropriately: Yami: 3800 - Ambrosius: 6200. 

Ambrosius could only stare in disbelief as Yami addressed him once again, "I'd say that the tide of this game is turning, in my favor!"

Spluttering, Ambrosius recovered, "Just you wait, Pharaoh! You've yet to see the true power of my deck!" He drew a card (Steel Scorpion) and grinned, "I summon Muka Muka!" A strange little bug with pincers and lots of holes in its back appeared. It chattered angrily at Alpha, which, as a machine, showed no emotion or reaction, "My little creature might only have 600/300 stats but watch this! Go Muka Muka, attack!" The creature scuttled forward, and the Alpha warrior slashed downward with its steel sword. A single pincer caught the sword and broke it in half, destroying Alpha.

Yami was stunned, "But how? My Alpha had a much higher attack power than Muka Muka!"

"Wrong, Yami," Ambrosius retorted, "My Muka Muka gains 300/300 for every card in my hand, which brings his stats up to 1500/1200, a 'pinch' above that of Alpha!"

"But don't forget, you attacked so my Gravekeeper's Servant card will discard your top card from your deck!" The stranger's deck glowed and a card fell from the top of his deck to the graveyard. The servant to the unknown lord growled softly, but felt better when the score changed. Yami: 3700 - Ambrosius: 6200.

Yami picked up a card (Dark Magic Ritual), "I play one monster (Senju of the 1000 Hands (1400/1000)) in defense mode!" The card appeared in front of Yami, defending him from attacks.

Ambrosius grabbed for his next card (Hinotama), "I play the Hinotama card, you're going to lose another-"

"Not so fast! I activate my trap card: Magic Drain! Unless you can discard another magic card from your hand, your Hinotama will be automatically sent to the graveyard without being activated!" Yami's trap flipped face-up, and the Hinotama flames disappeared. 

"That was a lucky move, Pharaoh! But nothing will defend you from my assault! I summon Ooguchi (300/250) to the field!" An ugly, blue, three-legged creature with unfocused eyes materialized on the field, "Go Ooguchi, attack Yami!" The creature charged ahead, jumped over Yami's Senju, and crashed into the great Egyptian king. Yami: 3400 - Ambrosius: 6200.

"Now, Muka Muka, finish the job!" The little creature (with lower stats now: 1200/900) rushed forward and destroyed the face-down Senju.

Yami picked himself up slowly, "That's two more cards down the drain, Ambrosius. You sure do seem to be in a hurry to lose this duel. And since you were kind enough to attack my Senju of the 1000 Hands, I'll just take my Magician of Black Chaos from my deck. And now… it's my turn," Yami slipped the top card from his deck (Celtic Guardian) into his hand, "I summon Celtic Guardian (1400/1200)! Now attack his Muka Muka!" The elf warrior ran towards the weakened bug, brought down his long broadsword, and dealt out some justice to the smaller monster. Yami: 3400 - Ambrosius: 6000

Ambrosius continued to smile, "You say that, but I'm the one in the lead." He reached for another card (Mask of Darkness), "I play one monster in defense mode (Mask of Darkness (900/400)), and I switch my Ooguchi to defense mode as well."

Yami drew his card (Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1), "I summon the Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" A blue dragon with a large mouth appeared on the field, "And I'll use my Dark Magic Ritual, tributing both of them for the Magician of Black Chaos!!" Both of Yami's monsters were sucked into a burning purple flame that was protected by two axes. From this flame reemerged the most powerful magician in all of Duel Monsters: the Magician of Black Chaos (2800/2600)!! "Now, destroy his face-down monster!" The mighty mage slammed his staff to the ground, and a deadly ball of dark energy rushed forward and smashed the face-down card. The monster that was underneath was just a mask of some sort, with poor stats.

Seeing Yami's confused look, Ambrosius spoke up, "That was my Mask of Darkness. It allows me to take back any trap card from my graveyard."

"But you haven't used any traps yet this game, so the effect is wasted…"

"Wrong. Your Gravekeeper's Servant conveniently discarded one for me."

"Which one?"

"You'll see soon enough," Ambrosius added a card to his hand, and drew a new one (Red Medicine), "I'll lay my trap face down, and I'll play the Red Medicine card, which increases my LP by 500! Now I'll switch Ooguchi to attack mode, and I'll summon Leghul (300/350)! Go, my monsters! ATTACK!" Both of the monsters moved to attack: Ooguchi went through a flustered Magician's legs to get to Yugi, and Leghul hopped over him, making the situation look even worse for Yami. Yami: 2800 - Ambrosius: 6500. Two more cards fell in to ****'s graveyard.

Yami dusted himself off, and drew his card (Monster Reborn), "Switching your monsters to attack mode will be your downfall, as my magician will now wipe them out one by one! Magician of Black Chaos, attack Leghul!" The great magic maker hit his staff against the ground once again and another energy ball flew out at the helpless little bug monster.

"Not so fast Yami! I'm activating my trap card! This will be the instrument of your demise: Activate Gravity Bind!!!!" His trap activated, a large green net covered the entire field, and something very strange happened. While the net didn't touch either of Ambrosius' monsters, it had set itself much too low for his magician to stand in. The Magician of Black Chaos started to struggle against the magic netting, and his attack was absorbed by the green, electrical barrier.

Yami blinked in surprise. He had never heard of the Gravity Bind card, "Ambrosius, what did you do? My magician should have destroyed your Leghul!"

"With Gravity Bind in play? Not a chance. It stops all monsters over 3 stars from attacking! Your magician has eight stars, much too high to attack. But as you can see, my one-star monsters are having no trouble with the magical net I've put into play! I believe that makes it my turn again." He picked up his card (Final Flame) and placed it into one of his magic/trap slots, "I'll use my Final Flame card to drop your LP by another 600!" A huge burst of flame enveloped Yami's side of the field and once again changed the score: Yami: 2200 - Ambrosius: 6500.

"Now, attack again my monsters! Take us one step closer to finishing this duel!" Once again, Yami was impaled by the mini-monsters, and the score worsened: Yami: 1600 - Ambrosius: 6500. Another two cards fell into Ambrosius graveyard, but he was much too busy feeling good about himself to notice.

Yami looked over the situation. It couldn't have been grimmer. He didn't think he had a single monster in his deck that would be able to get through that gravity net. It could be over…

"Ya can't give up, Yug!" came a familiar voice from behind him and he turned, surprised. Everyone was there: Joey, Tristan, Tea, Bakura, Mai and Tsuki. There were all there – just when he'd needed them most. 

"Come on!" Tristan said, "You're a way better duelist than this freak! Knock 'im flat!"

"You can do it, Yugi!" Tea said, "You and Yami have to trust in the heart of the cards!"

Yami nodded – his faith in himself restored. "Thank you," he said, turning back to the duel, "This isn't over yet!"

"You're only fooling yourself, Pharaoh!" Ambrosius said, "Just draw your card and let's get this duel over with!"

"Hey Mai," Joey said, as they all turned their attention to the dueling field, "What's that net that's got Yugi's Chaos Mage trapped?"

"Gravity Bind, if I'm not mistaken," Mai said, folding her arms across her chest and frowning, "It keeps all monsters with a level of four or higher from attacking."

"What?!" Joey cried.

"Oh no!" Tea said, clapping her hands to her face, " Most of Yugi's monsters have four stars or more!! What's he going to do?"

"He'll think of something," Tristan said firmly, "Yugi always pulls through in tough spots like this."

Tsuki said nothing. She only watched Yugi silently, sensing something strange about him. He wasn't the same…but something about him was very familiar…

Yami resignedly drew his card (Giant Soldier of Stone), and nearly fell over in surprise! His Soldier of Stone, of course! He smirked, and raised the card up, before slamming it down on an open slot in the DD2. "I summon the Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000) in attack mode! And I'll use monster Reborn to revive your Nimble Momonga (1000/100) in attack mode! Now, Giant Soldier of Stone, attack his Ooguchi!"

"But you can't! Gravity Bind-"

"My Soldier of Stone fits the requirements of Gravity Bind perfectly, so say goodbye to Ooguchi!" His stone soldier, stomped forward, brushing the net aside, and stuck his stone swords through Ooguchi, destroying it. Yami: 1600 - Ambrosius: 5500.

"All right!!" Yami heard his friends cheer from behind him. "Way to go!!"

"And now, Nimble Momonga," he said, "attack Leghul!" The flying squirrel swooped down, picked up Leghul, and dropped it again, smashing it into a thousand pieces. Yami chuckled, "It would seem that my deck can still put up a good fight, even under these circumstances." His Magician nodded approvingly. Yami: 1600 - Ambrosius: 4800

Ambrosius worriedly drew his card (Just Dessert), "I place one card face-down."

"No monsters? Well that's good." Yami picked up another card (The Forceful Sentry), "I'll use this card, the Forceful Sentry, to destroy the card that you still hold in your hand!"

Ambrosius' eyes shifted nervously. He had been hoping to lure Yami into his trap this turn, then play the Steel Scorpion to destroy the Soldier of Stone. That part of his plan was now ruined, and he had no more hand! Ambrosius would have to rely on his deck to give him the cards he needed now.

Meanwhile, Yami was still giving directions on his side of the field, "Now, Soldier of Stone, Nimble Momonga, attack him directly!"

Even as he was being impaled, Ambrosius managed to push down a button on his Duel Disk 2, "I'll activate my trap, Just Desserts, taking 500 LP away from you for every monster you have on the field!"

Yami gasped. That wasn't enough to defeat him, but he was now only a hundred points from being eliminated from the tournament!!! Yami: 100 - Ambrosius: 2500.

Ambrosius grinned evilly, "Just 100 measly points, and you'll be eliminated from this tournament! My master will be so pleased with me!" He drew his card (Pot of Greed), "I'll use Pot of Greed to gain two more cards!" He drew twice (Soul of the Pure and Goblin's Secret Remedy), "I play Soul of the Pure, raising my LP back to 3300, and another Goblin's Secret Remedy, which brings me almost back to my original 4000!" Yami: 100 - Ambrosius: 3900.

The Spirit of the Puzzle growled, "You may have the advantage in points, but I have the advantage on the field!" He looked at the new card he had drawn (Gamma the Magnet Warrior). Nothing that would help him now, "Go, both of my monsters, attack him again. The two struck out and the score changed again. Yami: 100 - Ambrosius: 1600.

The mystifying stranger drew his card nervously (Dian Keto the Cure Master), "I'll play this card, raising my LP again! It's only a matter of time now before I draw any of my magic cards that hit LP directly, and then you're finished!" Yami: 100 - Ambrosius: 2600.

Yami apprehensively drew his card (Anti-Magic Fragrance). He couldn't see much use for it, but laid it face-down anyway, "I'll play one card face down," A large card appeared before Yami, "And attack you again, making the score closer than I think that you'd like it to be," The monsters again waded through the thick netting, and attacked Yami's opponent, changing the score drastically. Yami: 100 - Ambrosius: 300.

Ambrosius could sense the master watching him. How had he so easily lost his lead? If he didn't win, the master would surely punish him to no ends! Praying to the Egyptian gods in his head, Ambrosius drew his card, and stared at it in disbelief (Ookazi), "This is the end for you, Pharaoh!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! I play Ookazi and-"

"And you've activated my trap card: the Anti-Magic Fragrance!!!! It says that all magic cards must now be played face-down on the field for one turn before being activated!" Yami had triumphantly activated his trap, and an evil looking pot appeared on the field. The steam that arose from it pushed the Ookazi card and the burning house that had been coming out of it face-down. 

"My turn now!" Yami drew and didn't even bother to look at the card, "Finish the match, NOW!!!" The Giant Soldier of Stone stomped forward and slashed downward with speed that no one would have given a giant boulder credit for. Ambrosius' LP dropped to 0, and the duel was over, leaving only Yami standing. 

Yami heard his friends' cheering voices rise up again and he smiled proudly. He'd won – against all the odds. Joey ran over to their old friend and began to compliment him on another amazing come-from-behind victory. Tsuki ran up and hugged Yami, who quickly shifted back to Yugi for this awkward moment. Tea just continued to smile.


	10. Chapter 10 Aftermath: Punishment

A note from the Authors: Thank you all for your feedback! Especially people like SulliMike23! Thank you for putting in a little time to let us know what we're doing right! We'll try to keep doing it!

* * *

Chapter 10

"Aftermath: Punishment"

Ambrosius stood up quickly and was now shaking all over. He began to mutter in a frightened voice to himself. None of the others noticed, until his quiet rants grew louder, "… No, master! It was luck!! I swear!!! I will not fail you again!!! No, please!!!-" The man cut off suddenly and his face turned a pale white, "Yes master. I understand, my master. I will." He slowly walked towards Yugi, and held out his necklace with the three items on it.

Yugi was startled, and turned around quickly. Was this the same fiery man he had dueled just moments ago? "Ummm… oh right!" The boy began to unhook two of the items when his beaten opponent, but the man shook his head slightly, "No. My master has instructed me to give you all three of the items. They are yours," Ambrosius dropped them at Yugi's feet, and then walked off without another word.

Yugi started to protest and run after the stranger, but Joey put a hand on his shoulder, "Yugi, the last thing you need to do is chase weirdoes like that. Just take the extra item as a gift. You did win, ya know!"

Yugi sighed, "Yeah, I know. But still, I only bet two items, so he was only supposed to bet two! Now that guy's out of the tournament, and he shouldn't be!"

Behind him, Tristan was also watching the man leave, thinking to himself. What had that guy been doing over there by himself? He had sounded like he was talking to himself. While the others had been congratulating Yugi on his victory, Tristan was sure that he had been listening in on half of a conversation!

"Uhhh… hey, Yugi! I'll take that item back to that guy for you!" Tristan smiled at his little friend, despite the confused look on Joey's face.

Little Yugi smiled up at Tristan, "Could you? You're faster than me anyway; I'll bet you could do it!" Tristan was such a good friend. It hadn't always been that way, but now Tristan was one of his best friends.

"Tristan, what are you-" Joey began, but Tristan gave him a look that silenced him. Tristan was pretty smart when he put his head to something, so Joey wasn't really worried about him trying to investigate that guy. Still, he was a little upset that Tristan hadn't asked him to come along.

"Sure, I'll do it Yugi!" Tristan took the Mini-Millennium Rod from Yugi's hand, and ran off. He called back over his shoulder to his watching friends, "I'll meet you guys back at the hotel later on, Ok? See ya!"

"But Tristan-" Tea called out to stop him, but he was already out of earshot, sprinting away down the dusty streets. She frowned, worried. She hoped he wasn't running straight into trouble. But he soon disappeared around a corner and her attention was forced back to Yugi, who was hooking his two new items to his chain.

"That makes four all together!" Yugi said happily. 

"Pretty soon you'll have all seven!" Tsuki chirped.

"You're catching up pretty quickly, kid," Mai said. She cast a sidelong glance at Joey, "Unlike _some_ people."

"Hey…what's that mean?" Joey said indignantly.

"It means, that you're falling behind Joseph," Mai said, putting her hands on her hips, "And if you don't find a duel soon, we'll be moving on to the finals without you."

"Grrr…." Joey growled through clenched teeth, "I'll find a duel – just you wait and see!" Angrily, he turned on his heels and took off, dashing down the street in the opposite direction Tristan had gone.

"Joey! Hey wait up!" Yugi cried, running after his friend.

"Don't forget us!" Tea said as she and Bakura also gave chase. 

Mai shook her head, "Huh. Kids these days…" But she too followed behind them, at her own pace. Tsuki hurried to keep in step with her.

* * *

_ Man, where is this guy going?_ Ambrosius was walking at the same, constant pace, taking what seemed to be arbitrary twists and turns down the streets of the Egyptian town. But as Tristan continued to trail Yugi's mysterious, defeated opponent, he realized that, for the entire time, they were heading in the direction of that great pyramid. 

Once or twice, the man stopped, and began to mutter to himself in a different language, but otherwise the journey to the man-made wonder of the tournament was uneventful. Tristan felt like patting himself on the back for avoiding detection for so long. Then again, the man also hadn't notice when he had run right through someone's fruit cart and barreled it over, or when the owner had clobbered him on the head with a pot of some sort.

As they began to walk out into the desert, Tristan had to think up some very creative hiding places, such as bending very agilely to fit behind a leaning palm tree, or walking in step with a passing camel and its owner. When they reached the Pyramid, Tristan managed to hide behind one of the corners to the building. He watched as Ambrosius flipped up one of the tiles of the Pyramid near the door and pressed a button inside the panel. Immediately, the door to the tourney finals swung open, granting him passage. 

Seizing the moment, Tristan made a leap for the door but as he reached it it closed, making him smash right into it. Rubbing her sore nose, the Japanese teen began to feel around on the tiles near the door for the secret panel. Noticing one shingle was slightly ajar, he tugged gently and it flipped right up, revealing a single red button. _Oh well, it worked for that guy, so why not me?_ The door's lock mechanism (which looked like you needed seven mini-items to put into each of its slots) deactivated and the door swiveled open again. 

Inside was a complete about-face from the desert. Instead of being bright, humid, and fresh, it was very poorly lit, rather cool, and the air was very thick. Tristan stopped complaining to himself about this change long enough to see Ambrosius still walking down one of the long corridors. 

_ At least there are plenty of good hiding spots in this place. _It took at least ten minutes of walking and uphill climbing to reach what Tristan was sure was the tip top of the Pyramid. Still talking to himself, Ambrosius rapped several times on the door. Tristan ducked behind a corner, not wanting to be seen by whoever was on the other side of that doorway.

The door slid open and, although Tristan couldn't see who it was that answered, he recognized the voice of the tournament coordinator, Vitani. But her tone was harsh, lacking the false-friendliness she usually had. "Ambrosius, come in. Lord Jetsu is waiting for you."

Tristan heard footsteps and then the creaking of a closing door. Not wanting to miss out on anything, he quickly picked up a loose stone from the floor and hurled it across the hallway. It caught in the doorway, keeping it from closing completely. The voices he began to hear were faint, but understandable.

"My Lord, I have returned, just as you requested," Ambrosius' voice was shaky, as if filled with… panic?

"I can see that. Tell me…why is the power of the Pharaoh still in the hands of a child?" A deeper voice came back, one that Tristan didn't recognize.

"I-I did as you requested Lord! I followed all of your orders-"

"And you still failed me…"

"NO! I dueled him! His deck was able to bypass my Gravity Bind! Give me one more chance Lord, please, just one more!"

"ENOUGH! Ambrosius, you have failed me! There will be no salvation for you!"

Tristan shuddered and heard a sickening scream. There was the sound of cloth hitting the floor, and Tristan knew that he would never get to return this mini-item for Yugi. Not that that was the largest of his worries. Right now, he was more concerned with leaving the building alive. Part of him wanted to start sneaking away now, but another part forced him to stay and continue to listen.

He heard Vitani's voice yet again. "Shall I send for the Three Elementals?"

"Yes. It seems they will be needed now."

There was a paused and Tristan thought the 'fun' was over. As he started to tip-toe away, the deep voice spoke again. "Vitani?"

"Yes, my lord?"

"There is someone outside the door."

Tristan felt panic sweep over his body and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. See the stone wedged in the doorway? Only human hands could have put it there."

"I see, sir. Shall I bring him for you to deal with?"

"No. I have other business to attend to. Deal with him as you see fit."

"Yes, my lord."

_ Holy SHIT! _ Tristan began to back away nervously, trying to make it around the corner again without making any noise. He was about to turn the corner when he heard the creak of the door.

"Well, well, well," Vitani's voice had the fake-cheeriness again, "What do we have here?" He felt her hands take hold of his right arm, but dared not look at her, fearing she'd rip it out of its socket. "I don't think you're allowed to be here."

"Uhhhhh… errr…ummm… Well, you see, heh heh, I was just returning this item to that guy," Tristan held up the mini-item that was in his left hand, "And he left the secret button that controls the door wide open, so I thought it would be ok if I just, well, you know, came inside. Heh heh, silly me…" He knew that he sounded like a total dumbass, but if it would keep her from killing him, then who really cared?

"I'm afraid that that button is for authorized personnel only, young man," she said, starting to lead him back down the pyramid, "I'm going to have to ask you not to use it again."

"Uh…right…no problem…" he stammered, as they continued down the dimly lit corridors. _Wait a minute… _he thought, _ what am I scared of a girl for?_ As a bit of his cockiness returned to him, he ventured, "Just what was it that happened to that guy? I heard some kind of scream…"

"That's none of your concern, boy," Vitani said, the harsh edge returning to her voice, "And if you continue to ask question, you will suffer a similar fate."

Tristan gulped, wishing for the life of him that the pyramid were a lot shorter. Not another word was spoken between them until at long last they reached the exit. She removed one hand from his arm to punch the access code into a small panel in the wall, and the door slid open. Sunlight poured into the hall, and Tristan felt a little better.

She let go completely and gestured for him to leave. He did so hurriedly, and as he made to walk away, he heard her speak again, her voice perky once more, "Oh and one more thing."

He turned to look at her. She was smiling broadly.

"If you tell anyone what you've seen or heard, I can assure you the punishment will be severe. Bye now!" The door shut in front of her, leaving Tristan standing wide-eyed in the open desert.

_ What…the…hell?! _ He shivered. Her rapid changes in demeanor were way beyond weird. He held up the gold chain, the mini-item dripping with sweat from his palms. He had no doubt anymore that they were all in big trouble. And he was certain that these Millennium Items were the cause of it. He shook his head. _Damn Ancient Egyptians. Why couldn't they have thrown their magic to the wind? Then we wouldn't have to deal with all this shit…_

He stuffed the chain and item into his pocket and trudged away down the dusty street, brow furrowed with worry. This was all getting to complicated. He'd never quite understood about Yugi and his Puzzle until Battle City, and it seemed that ever since Yugi had put it together, every psychopath in the world was after it. What did a kid like that ever do to deserve all this?

* * *

After several minutes of blindly running about, Joey was forced to stop from a lack of breath. He knew that the others were somewhere behind him, trying to catch up. Joey had seen several duels going on, but he didn't want to wait and challenge the winners; he wanted to duel right now! Mai was right, he really was behind. 

All of a sudden, it occurred to Joey that where he was now smelled quite different for some reason. He saw that he had reached the edge of town and staring majestically back at him was Egypt's main water supply: the Nile River, in all of its glory. The brazen Japanese teen grinned to himself; if there was one person that he could count on to be predictable, it was Mako Tsunami. Mako would no doubt be right at the edge of the longest river in the world, enjoying himself. Mako would be a perfect first test. A rematch from their last bout at Battle City!

He heard footsteps behind him and turned. Yugi was slowing to a stop, panting heavily. "What the big rush Joey…oh wow…" Yugi looked past his friend at the sparkling river, "That's the Nile, huh?"

"Yep, that's it," Joey nodded.

A few seconds later, Tea and Bakura came up along side them, with the same awed reaction to the mighty river. Tea glanced around, "So, what do you expect to find here?"

Before Joey could answer, another voice behind them said, "I think what ever he's looking for just found us!" It was Mai, with Tsuki at her side, and she was pointing out at the river with a small smile.

They all followed her finger out to the water and saw a mini tidal wave heading their way! The four teens exchanged nervous glances, but as the rising water drew closer, they all saw what it was.

Or _who_ it was, to be more specific.

It was Mako Tsunami, grinning broadly, riding on the backs of two large alligators, holding the reins in one hand and waving at the group on the shore with the other, "Hello my friends!" He leaped off of the two large reptiles and landed perfectly on shore, while his alligators rode the rest of the now tiny wave up to shore, and began to wallow around in the shallow waters of the river banks.

Mako was his usual self, with only his swimming trunks and Duel Disk 2 on. He also wore a shiny, golden chain around his neck, with bared five small Millennium items on it!

"Hi Mako! Long time no see!" Yugi ran forward and shook Mako's hand, who shook Yugi's hand much more vigorously, causing little Yugi's entire body to shake violently.

"It is good to see you as well, Yugi! How are you faring in this fine tournament?" Mako was proudly fingering his items, each of which was wet and sparkling in the hot Egyptian sun.

Yugi revealed his chain as well, "I've got four so far, but I only got those this morning!" the Duel Monsters champion turned to look at Mai, "Looks like some one has finally caught up with you, Mai!"

"Nothing less than I expected," Mai said, showing her own chain with its five items, "Maybe you and I will finally get that duel, Mako."

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Joey cried, stepping in front of her, "I'm the one who came here to challenge Mako!"

"Yeah," Tea said, "You _are_ the one that needs it the most, huh?"

"SHUT UP!' Joey yelled, surprising everyone, "I'm sick and tired of getting shit from everyone! I was number two in Duelist Kingdom, and I was in the top ten at Battle City!" Joey stopped, and saw that Mako was staring intently at him. Joey lifted his right hand and pointed his index finger at the water duelist, "Mako Tsunami, I challenge you to a duel! I'll even bet both of my items on the outcome of this duel!"

"That was quite harsh language in the presence of the young and female. Your successes have gone to your head, friend. It will be my honor to not only bring you back down to Earth, but also to avenge my loss at Battle City and eliminate you from this competition!" Mako spat back at Joey.

"Let's duel!" Both shouted, and inserted their decks into their Duel Disk 2s'. 

It certainly had been harsh language. Yugi, Tea, Tsuki, and Bakura were looking shocked, and a little hurt. Mai had a different sort of expression on her face. Part of her was surprised at his outburst, but another side of her was impressed. It was a side of Joey she'd never seen – strong and hot-headed. She guessed their teasing had finally gotten to him, and this was a result of a lot of bottled-up aggression. 

She cocked her head curiously. There was a fire in his eyes that she'd never noticed for all the time she'd known him. Her stomach gave a tiny lurch and she flushed slightly pink as she realized what had happened. For the first time, she'd seen him, no longer a boy, but as a man. And it was a little unnerving.


	11. Chapter 11 The Fourth Duel: Honor

Author's Note: [This is strictly from Invader Shaun] Hello. First off, thanks to everyone who reviews our story. We spend _a lot _of time getting every detail of this as perfect as we can. Take this upcoming duel. I spent 2 1/2 hours writing this, which includes looking up every card combination, doing calculations, and looking up rulings for each specific card. Then I saw the second episode of the Mako-Joey two-parter on Kids WB today. I henceforth spent another 2 1/2 hours fixing this duel. Please enjoy it. Thank you. 

* * *

Chapter 11

"The Fourth Duel: Honor"

And so the duel began, with each duelist drawing their first cards as their small group of spectators watched from the sidelines. Joey's opening hand included: Axe Raider (1700/1150), Garoozis (1800/1500), Dragon Claws, Robbin Goblin, and Delinquent Duo. _Boy, I haven't had this good an opening hand in a long time!_, "Hey Mako, since I challenged you, that means that you're allowed to go first!"

"And so I shall! This is the beginning of the end for you in this tournament Joey Wheeler!" the mighty sea duelist looked down at the five cards he was holding: Giant Red Sea Snake (1800/800), Aqua Madoor (1200/2000), Turtle Oath, Acid Traphole, and Eternal Rest. He picked up another card and smiled: Umi, "For my first move, I will lay one card face-down (Acid Traphole). Next, I will place one monster card face-down in defense mode (Aqua Madoor, 1200/2000), and I will play my Umi field card, which raises all of my aqua monsters by 200/200!" The little area on the shore that they were dueling on filled with about two feet of holographic water. Mako smiled smugly, "It's your turn now, Joey!"

Joey looked at the next card that his deck produced (Rock Ogre Grotto #1) _Hmmmm. Well, Mako must be trying to lure me into attackin', so I'd better go defensive too!_, "I'm also placin' one card face down (Robbin' Goblin), and I'll place one monster face down in defense mode as well (Rock Ogre Grotto #1 (800/1200))!"

"Thank you, Joey! I was hoping to scare you into not attacking me!" Mako unfolded his arms and pressed a button on his DD2, and his face down trap card flipped face up, "My Acid Traphole will take care of your monster for me!"

"Say what?!? What's that thing do?"

"It destroys any monster you set in defense mode that has less than 2000 defense points! So, Wheeler, does your monster fit the requirements?"

Joey cursed to himself. He had thought that he was outwitting Mako's trap, but instead he fell right into it! His stone warrior revealed itself, and immediately fell into a large pit of acid!

"I didn't think so. My turn," Mako slid another card out of his Duel Disk (Tongyo), "I play Giant Red Sea Snake in attack mode (2000/1000) and I'll flip up my Aqua Madoor (1400/2200)! Now, I'll attack you with both!" The Giant Red Sea Snake Rushed forward and knocked Joey down. Aqua Madoor raised a single hand, and a powerful rush of wind blew Joey backward.

Joey groaned and sat up. His LP had been devastated: Joey: 400 – Mako: 4000. He couldn't believe that in just one turn, he would probably be eliminated from this tournament. It was times like this that he could usually count on his friends for support, but he knew that he wouldn't get any encouragement this time. He had pushed everyone away; he had foolishly tried to take on more than he could, and was about to pay the price for it.

"Oh no!" Tea said softly, "Just one mistake and it nearly cost Joey the duel!"

"He must not be thinking clearly," Bakura said gravely, "And I'm afraid we may be responsible."

Yugi said nothing, but watched Joey intently. If Joey was going to make a comeback, it was going to take a miracle! But then, luck had always been on Joey's side before. Yugi just hoped it would be with him now.

Mako glanced over at their spectators and gave a small, knowing smile. Joey had his back to them and couldn't see their worried expressions. As far as he knew, they weren't rooting for him. "Joseph, if you take away anything from this duel, besides defeat, I hope it is a better respect for your friends," he said, folding his arms across his chest, "They may tease you, but what teenager doesn't? You should consider yourself lucky to count yourself as one in a group of so many. Maybe next time you won't be so quick to snap at them. I'm sure you could use their encouragement right now. I don't think I've ever seen you win a duel without their support."

Joey sighed. Mako had just about read his mind. A part of him really wanted to look back and see his friends cheering him on. But he couldn't face them. Not after what he'd done. He drew a card (Skull Dice). He smiled slightly; he knew he could always count on this card to come through for him, "I'm playing this card face down, and I'll summon my Axe Raider, to destroy your Aqua Madoor!" A strong, muscular man brandishing a large axe was summoned to the field, and rushed forward towards the masked creature. With a swift stroke of its axe, the cloaked figure was in half, with bits of cloth flying everywhere. The spellcaster disappeared, and Mako's LP took their first damage: Joey: 400 – Mako: 3700.

"It hardly makes a difference. I will end this duel this turn!" Mako picked up a card (Megamorph) and almost began to laugh at the irony. Megamorph would double the attack power of any of his monsters if he had less LP than his opponent. It was doubtful that that would ever happen, "I summon Tongyo in attack mode (1550/1000)!" A strange purple fish with a disgustingly large tongue appeared on the field and began to splash about in Umi's waters, "Now, Giant Red Sea Snake, attack his Axe Raider!"

Joey grinned goofily, "I was hoping that you'd attack! Activate Skull Dice!" A large, purple card flipped itself face-up and a little figure holding a large, red die released itself, "Your monster's Attack points will be divided by the roll of the die! I need anything but a one for this to work!" The evil fairy dressed in black threw the die on the ground. It bounced once, twice, then stopped: on a 3!

"Alright!" Tea cheered, clapping her hands together.

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief.

Mai just shook her head and smiled.

"WHAT!?!?" Mako cried, "NO! My Sea Snake!" The large red serpent continued to charge forward, but its attack points dropped like a stone from 2000 to 667.

"Alright! Now my Axe Raider can destroy your overgrown water-snake!!" Joey cheered a bit to himself as Axe Raider met the Giant Red Sea Snake head on, and sliced it into 2 pieces, causing it to shatter. "And that puts a real dent in your LP!" Joey cheered silently to himself. Not only had the score changed (Joey: 400 – Mako: 2667), but it was his turn again! Mako groaned from his side of the field.

"Now, let's see. I draw a card…" Joey trailed off to look at the card he had drawn (Kunai with Chain). _Awesome! Another great Trap card! If I keep getting' good cards like this, I just might win this duel!_, "I'm playin' another card face-down! Axe Raider!!! Attack again!" With one swift axe stroke, Tongyo was renamed "sushi" and disappeared. Joey: 400 – Mako: 2517

"That's gotta be the weirdest LP difference ever," Mai said, eyebrow raised.

Tsuki turned to Yugi, "Do you think Joey really has a chance? He's so far behind."

"Well," Yugi said, "Joey and I have always been known for good comebacks, so I wouldn't count him out just yet."

"I still have you on the ropes my friend! Just you wait!" Mako grabbed for his next card (Great White). Mako looked at it for a moment, considering his options. If he played it in attack mode, he would have the advantage in attack points again, but there was that face-down card. The last one had been a trap, so why shouldn't this one be a trap as well? It was so frustrating! No, he had to take a chance, "I summon Great White in attack mode (1800/800)! And he will destroy your Axe Raider!" The large shark swam forward towards the ever-vigilante Axe Raider.

"Yer losin' yer touch, Mako! You fell into my trap again! Activate Kunai with Chain!" Joey pressed another button on his Duel Disk 2, and another trap revealed itself. The Axe raider now held another weapon of the axe variety in his hand, and the Great White broke off its assault, as the trap had made it switch to defense mode, "Not only does that make your Great White switch position, but it gives my Axe Raider another 500 attack points!"

Mako chuckled, "You managed to survive that turn, but nothing can save you from this magic card! Eternal Rest!" An evil looking man holding a chain came out of the green card, and wrapped it around Axe Raider, dragging it into the ground.

Joey stared wide eyed, "What?!?"

"The Eternal Rest destroys all monsters with power-up cards, so the Kunai with Chain trap actually worked against you!" Mako folded his arms, "But we waste time with idle chatter, so let the duel proceed."

"Alright, fine! Just you wait for my next move!" Joey picked up a card from the top of his deck (Shallow Grave), "I'm playin' this card, Shallow Grave, to take back a monster that you sent to my graveyard!" Joey rummaged through the discard pile that the Duel Disk showed him, and selected his Rock Ogre Grotto #1 (800/1200). Joey selected Garoozis from his hand, but then noticed that Mako was searching through his discard pile too, "Hey, what're you doin' over there? It's still my turn!"

Mako looked up, surprised, "Don't tell me that you never actually read the Shallow Grave card? It says that both players can pick a monster to play in defense mode! HA HA HA! I can't believe that you have actually lasted this long in our duel if you don't even know your own cards!"

On the sidelines, the group all sweat-dropped. Joey scowled, embarrassed, "Hey, I'm not through yet, Fish Boy! I'm gonna sacrifice my Rock Ogre Grotto #1 for the more powerful Garoozis (1800/1500)!" His face-down card disappeared and was replaced by the tall, armored reptile, which held out its axe threateningly, "Now, Garoozis, attack his Great White before he can switch it back to attack mode!" With a few quick slices, the reptilian warrior had cut Jaws to ribbons. 

"There. You see?" Yugi told Tsuki.

"Wow…he's pretty good," Tsuki said.

"Joey _will_ win," Tea said, "He has to, or else he's out of the tournament!"

Mako could feel that the tide of this game was turning. But the tides came in and out, so it was time for his deck to give him a means of changing things here! This card he drew would definitely help (Torrential Tribute), "I play one card face-down, and end my turn," Mako set the card on his Duel Disk, waiting eagerly for Joey to doom himself. Once he played a monster, this trap would destroy all monsters on the field. With no defenses, Mako would only need to draw even the weakest monster in his deck to beat this fool. 

"Running out of ideas already, squid brain?" Joey drew again (World Suppression), "I gonna play one more face-down, and end my turn without attacking. I'm guessin' that you took your Aqua Madoor back in defense mode! With 2200 defense, if I attacked him I would destroy the rest of my LP!" 

Mako cursed softly, "Very clever. Perhaps you _aren't_ as dumb as you look. The ocean champ drew again (Root Water) and went to set it, "I'll play-wait, no, never mind," He stopped himself quickly. The Torrential Tribute card would activate if _either_ player played a monster, and without any defenses, Wheeler could do major damage to his LP!

Joey grinned as he selected another card (Graceful Dice), "Here's another card for ya to worry about!" Another card materialized in front of Joey, next to his first card, "That's all for me! Back to you, Tsunami!"

Mako looked at his next card in surprise (Heavy Storm) "Have a taste of what the sea can offer: I play the Magic Card Heavy Storm!" A huge rainstorm covered the field, destroying Mako's face-down card and both of Joey's, "As you can see, it destroys every magic and trap card that we have in play! Now I'll set one monster down (Root Water (800/900))."

"I never thought I'd see it rain in the dessert," Bakura mused.

"Especially when there isn't a cloud in the sky," Tea agreed.

"But that rainstorm isn't doing Joey any good," Yugi pointed out, bringing their attention back to the duel and not the holographic effects, "His trap cards have always been the most successful part of his deck."

"Fine, I'll still beat you even without my traps!" Joey's next card was Kojikocy, and Joey sighed in relief. _Man, I thought I was never gonna get another monster!_, "I'm playin' a monster in Defense mode (Kojikocy (1500/1200))!"

Mako said nothing, and looked at his card (Pot of Greed), "This Pot of Greed card will give me two more cards to defeat you with!" The next two cards were Rain of Mercy and Deepsea Warrior, "Much better! I will tribute my weaker Root Water for a monster in Defense mode (Deepsea Warrior (1600/1800)! And next, I will regain some of the points that you took from me with this Blue Medicine card! And next, I will regain some of the points that you took from me with this Rain of Mercy card, which brings my LP up to 3517!"

Joey grinned, "Maybe you should read your cards a little more carefully, Mako! That card also gives me 1000 life points!" The scores of each of the Duel Disks changed appropriately. Joey: 1400 – Mako: 3517.

"Now that's it's my turn, I draw one card…" Joey looked at his card (Magic Cylinders) and grinned evilly. He had been so happy when Yugi had given him this card (he had had an extra) for actually passing 11th grade, "I play one card face-down, and I'll activate my Kojikocy!" The tough, brown-skinned warrior revealed himself, and raised his sword, "Now, Garoozis! No more waiting! Attack the card on the left!" His reptile soldier rushed forward and struck down upon the Deepsea Warrior, who revealed himself and fended off Garoozis.

The spectators breathed a quick sigh of relief.

"That was a close one," Tea said.

"It was sure lucky that Mako played that Rain of Mercy card," Yugi said, "Now Joey has a good chance of changing things around."

Mai just watched without saying a word. 

"That battle is a draw, my friend." Mako drew his card and laughed triumphantly (Crab Turtle), "I'll activate the Turtle Oath, which will sacrifice both of my monsters on the field to bring forth the almighty Crab Turtle (2750/2700)!" 

A large, green sphere appeared in the middle of the field, sucked up the Deepsea Warrior and Aqua Mador, and out of came a red-and-green, crab Cyclops, baring razor sharp claws on its hands and feet. Mako pointed at Kojikocy, "The Crab turtle is even more powerful than the fortress Whale that I gave you in Battle City, as you're about to see! Attack now, Crab Turtle! Take us that much closer to finishing Wheeler!" The large beast took two earth-shaking steps forward and shot a huge blast of water out at the other combatant.

"Hold on there Mako, I'm gonna activate my trap card: The Magic Cylinders! Not only does it stop your attack from hitting me, but it reverses it and gets you directly!" The water went in one cylinder and out the other smashing into Mako, causing him to fall over. 

"Alright!" Tea cheered, clapping her hands together.

"He did it!" Tsuki exclaimed.

"You gave him that card, didn't you, Yugi?" Bakura asked.

"Yeah," Yugi said, "I'm just glad it was able to save him this turn."

Joey breathed a sigh of relief. He had survived one attack so far (and brought down Mako's LP) but how much longer could he last against that beast? He drew his card worriedly (Alligator's Sword), "I'm switching both of my monsters into defense mode, and I'll play another monster face-down as well!"

Mako had stood up once again, and was now fuming, "You're going to regret that last move Wheeler!" He drew his card (Umikura), "I replace my field card Umi with the more powerful Umikura!" His Crab Turtle's stats rose again (3050/2100), "That makes my Crab Turtle more powerful than a Blue-Eyes White Dragon! And now, since my LP are below yours, I'll equip him with this magic card: The Mega Morph!" 

Instantly, the Crab Turtle doubled in size and stats, towering over the entire field (6100/4200), "This double's my monsters stats as long as my LP are lower than yours!" Mako sneered at Joey, his frustration with the duel clearly showing, "How do you like that, Wheeler? My monster is more powerful than any in all of Duel Monsters! I'll give you this chance to surrender, or my Crab Turtle will grind you into smaller pieces than the very sands of Egypt around us!"

Joey stared at his feet, dejected. 6100 attack power! How was he ever going to get past something as strong as that monster? He didn't have any cards in his deck that could beat that overgrown crab.

The spectators exchanged sorry glances. Yugi sighed. It was all over now. There weren't any cards in existence that could beat an attack power _that _high. 

"Joey Wheeler!" Mai called out, and they all glanced at her, surprised, "Don't tell me you're giving up!"

Joey turned slowly to look at her. He said nothing, but his humiliation was written clearly all across his face.

Mai stuck her nose in the air, "Really – after all that fuss you made, saying you were better than we gave you credit. It was all talk wasn't it? What kind of man are you?? Don't make claims you can't prove. If you throw in the towel now, I swear I'll never be able to look at your face again."

Joey looked away. She'd never be able to look him in the face again? That made two of them. In barely an inaudible whisper, he looked up at the giant Crab Turtle and murmured to Mako, "Thanks for the offer… but you're gonna hafta try to end this one the hard way, Mako…"

"Don't listen to her, Joey!" Tea called out.

"This isn't over yet!" Yugi added, "You can still come back and win this!" 

Joey still didn't say anything. His friends could be right, but he'd need some sort of miracle. He picked up another card (Time Wizard). _Time Wizard! If this works, I could win the match right here! But if the spinner lands wrong..._ Joey shuddered just thinking about what would happen. Not only would it destroy his monsters, but he'd be out of the tournament! _I hafta risk it!_, "I summon the Time Wizard (500/400)!"

"Time Wizard?" Mako straightened up, and began to laugh, "You would dare use that card against me to decide this duel? If the spinner lands correctly, which is a slim chance I might add, than you would win. But if it lands incorrectly, then you'll eliminate yourself for me! HA HA HA HA!"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take to win, Mako. I switch Garoozis into attack mode and… Time Wizard, spin your Time Roulette!" The wizard of time began to spin the spinner on its staff, circling around and around. Joey and Mako both began to sweat, and not just from the heat of the day, but from the chance Joey had taken. Slowly, the spinner began to halt, it took several erratic turns. Skull… Skull... House… Skull…HOUSE!!

"YESSS!!!!! HA HA!!"

"NOOOOO!!!" The time wizard pointed it staff at Mako's Crab Turtle and it turned to dust, a 1000 years too long a time for it to withstand.

"Now, Garoozis, attack Mako! Let's win this thing!" The reptilian fighter rushed over to Mako and smashed right into him, knocking him to the ground. Mako's LP went to 0 and the holograms faded away. 

Joey breathed a sigh of relief. He had won, but just barely. He heard someone clear their throat behind him and turned. Yugi was there, looking a little nervous, with Tsuki at his side. Further behind them were Tea and Bakura, both with guilty smiles. Off to the side a little ways was Mai, and the way she was looking at him was different than she ever had before. Their eyes met and she winked. He felt himself go red. 

He was brought back to reality when Yugi spoke up. "Listen, Joey…" he said, "We're sorry about getting on your case all the time. We never meant anything by it…"

Joey smiled and punched Yugi lightly on the arm. "Don't sweat it, Yug," he said, "After all, for every time you guys get on my case, there's two times you're there for me when I need ya."

"We really are sorry," Tea said.

"Yeah?" Joey asked.

"Of course we are!" Yugi said.

Mai cleared her throat, "Please – not all the mushy stuff again. My stomach can't handle it."

"Aww… hush, Mai. I think you can stomach it this one time," Joey didn't quite make eye contact with her, though he wasn't sure why he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Behind him, Mako was trying to pick up the shattered pieces of his pride, but it wasn't easy while unhooking two of his hard-earned, golden items. He coughed loudly, making everyone look back towards him.

Joey stuck his nose slightly in the air, "That's right… I got somethin' to collect from you! Two of your Millennium Items!"

Mako gave Joey a puzzled look, then shrugged it off, "I wondered what you would call these things. Ah well, back down to three." 

"Hey, I'm sure that you'll get 'em back, once ya have this again!" Joey was grinning broadly and holding out a card for Mako. The older man looked down, and saw the Legendary Fisherman card being pushed towards him. 

"What!?! But, you won that from me… I cannot take it…" 

Joey noticed that despite his strong words, his eyes were longingly looking at the card, almost as if it was a long lost relative. He sighed, "Take it… I want ya ta have it for your next duel, whoever it might be!"

Mako brushed a tear away from his eye, "Thank you, my friend. I won't forget this!" 

He looked over past Joey to Mai, "And as soon as I regain my items, I will be able to challenge you to a duel that's worth your time!"

Before Mai had a chance to reply, a voice interrupted them, "Perhaps you'd like a chance to regain your lost possessions?" Everyone looked up from their current conversation. Weevil Underwood was walking assertively towards the small group.

Noting everyone's suddenly sour faces, Tsuki asked quietly, "Who's that?"

Mai looked down at her, surprised, "You really don't know?" then she muttered, "Wow…I guess you really were someone else all together…"

"That's Weevil Underwood," Yugi told Tsuki, "A good duelist, but infamous for cheating."

"Whadda ya want, Weevil?" Joey demanded.

"I don't have any business with a wanna-be like you, Wheeler," Weevil snapped, "You may have gotten lucky at Battle City, but I don't have time to bother with you today."

"Say WHAT?!" Joey growled and Tea and Bakura had to struggle to hold him back.

Weevil chuckled a bit a Joey's outburst, but just walked right past him. He stopped several feet in front of Mako, and pointed at the taller man, "I challenge you to a duel, Tsunami! Let's see if the powers of the ocean can save you from the unbridled might of my insects!"

Mako glared down at Weevil (seeing as he was at least a head taller than the insect duelist), "I accept your challenge! You'll see that you're 'getting in over your head'!"

Weevil folded his arms across his chest, "If you're really a man, than prove it by betting all three of your remaining items! I'll do the same!" The younger boy pulled the gold chain that held his three items out from under his slightly-too-long Egyptian robe. 

"Weevil," Yugi protested, "Mako just finished a duel. He shouldn't have to rush right into another one."

The blue-haired boy stuck his nose in the air, "If he's too chicken, then fine! I guess the beasts of the sea aren't so fearless anymore, eh?"

Yugi was about to speak again, but he felt Mako's strong hand on his shoulder and looked up at the sea-duelist.

"I will accept your challenge, Underwood," he said, "It will be my pleasure to eliminate you from this tournament." When Yugi started to protest again, Mako put a hand up to silence him, "A man must choose his own battles, young Yugi. You'll understand when you're older."

Yugi nodded, still feeling bad about the whole thing. The least he could do was stick around and cheer Mako on.

But even that wasn't going to happen, as Tea pointed out, "Does anyone know where Tristan got off to?"

"Dunno," Joey said, "You wouldn't think he'd have gotten lost."

"We should go and look for him," Bakura said.

"Sure. Why not?" Mai shrugged. She turned to Mako, "I'll meet you tomorrow after you've finished with bug-boy here."

"Certainly," Mako nodded. And as the gang turned to leave, he faced his opponent.


	12. Chapter 12 Memories Unlocked

Author's Note: First of all - to everyone who keeps begging for the Kaiba brothers: THEY WILL COME!! Please be patient. They're just not important to the story line so far. Don't worry - they will be!

[strictly from Invader Sam]: And second, the last half of this chapter is rated "R" for adult situations. I worked very hard to make sure it was tasteful, but in any case, if you don't want to read it, you don't have to. It's not VITAL to the story, but I wanted to put it in anyhow. If you don't read it, it will be explained in later chapters. 

[Invader Shaun whacks Sam on the head with a stick!] Stop Talking!! Let them read!!

[Sam] Okay! Okay! Here - enjoy! ^_^

* * *

Chapter 12

"Memories Unlocked"

The trek back into town seemed longer than it had coming out, and the sun was beginning to set as they finally reached the street of Tournament-owned hotels. Once inside, they found Tristan, just hanging around the lobby looking preoccupied. Joey took great pleasure in snapping him out of it and proudly showing him his two new items.

"Oh yeah – speaking of items," Tristan said, reaching into his pocket, "That guy insisted that you keep this Yugi." He handed the chain to Yugi.

"Oh," the boy said, resignedly hooking the item to his own chain, "I really didn't deserve this…"

"What're you talking about?" Mai said, "You dueled perfectly. Of course you deserve it."

"Ya know what else we deserve?" Joey said, "Dinner! I'm starving!!"

The others all heartily agreed and hurried to the dining hall. The dinner meal was an enjoyable one, as Joey recounted his duel against Mako (whenever he wasn't stuffing his face that is), while the rest of the gang kept reminding him that he had been behind in LP almost the entire match.

At last, they finished their meal and were heading up the stairs to their rooms, when they spotted a familiar figure come through the front doors. It was Mako, but he had lost his confident stride and was trudging dejectedly towards the front desk.

"Mako!" Yugi said, darting back down the stairs, "What happened?"

Mako sighed deeply, "Perhaps I should have rested before dueling again…"

Joey almost choked on the extra-large amount of food that had still been in his mouth. Yugi gasped, "Don't tell me-"

Mako sullenly revealed his golden, tournament chain. It had no items left dangling from it! Joey stood up angrily, "That little worm! He must have cheated ya Mako! Did he pull that Parasite trick on you?"

The duelist of the deep looked up at Joey, who now had Tristan standing right next to him, the both of them up in arms, "No… but he did manage to strip my sea monsters of their pride in a different way…"

Mai, who was coming down the stairs as well, cast a quizzical eye at Mako, "What do mean by that?"

The water champion couldn't even bring himself to look at Mai, "He used a card called 'DNA Surgery' to alter the very heart and souls of every monster I used. Even the Legendary Fisherman was disgraced. Early in the game Weevil played a different card: Insect Barrier. I had scoffed at him at the time, but I should have known by that grin that he had something more planned," He smiled slightly, "Once I was unable to attack, his Great Moth decimated my monsters and my life points."

The gang didn't know what to say. For a short moment, they cast sad glances at each other in silence. Then Mai stepped forward. Mako still did not meet her gaze. "I know you must be angry with me," he said, "I have broken my word to you."

Mai shook her head, "No. That's not it at all. There'll be other times. I'm sure you did your best. Today just wasn't your day. So buck up, will you?" She leaned up and kissed his cheek, making him blush in surprise. 

Joey felt his own cheeks redden with what he realized (with a little shock) was jealousy. Where had _that_ feeling come from??

Mai stepped down and Mako put a hand to his cheek. He smiled, "I suppose you're right, Miss Valentine," he said, "And the day has not been a total loss –"

There was a scream from by the doors and they all turned. Mako's alligators were wandering around the entryway, frightening guests as they made their way over to him.

He leaned down to pat each one on the head. "It seems they have chosen to follow me home," he said, grinning, "And I dare not refuse them."

"I can see why…" Yugi said nervously, eyeing the large reptiles.

"You've certainly got odd taste in consolation prizes," Mai said, "But what the hell. Whatever makes you happy."

"And indeed it does," Mako said, "I just hope they will be comfortable on the flight home. Though I have never been fond of planes myself." He picked up the leashes that were around the gators necks and headed over to the front desk, "I shall be glad to get back to larger waters. Good bye, my friends!"

"Have a safe trip home!" Tea told him.

"We'll probably be joining you soon enough," Yugi said, as the gang began their ascension up the stairs again, leaving Mako to his travel plans.

* * * _(Small Children - Stop Reading!)_

That night, everyone drifted off to sleep rather quickly, weary from the events of the day. All accept one that is. Yami was restless, lying next to Yugi in his translucent form. There was something that was tearing at him; it had been the same the night before. His heart was egging him on…but to do what? That part he couldn't understand…

For what seemed like an eternity, he lay there, fretting over it. Then he heard it. Soft – so soft he had to shake his head to make sure he wasn't dreaming. 

**_Yami…_**

A voice was calling him.

**_Yami…_**

It was a voice he knew, but did not recognize.

**_Yami…come to me…_**

_ Come to whom? _Yami wondered. The voice was louder now, inside him. No, not inside him, beyond him. _The Shadow Realm. _ That was where the voice was coming from. He shut his eyes and vanished, setting his spirit free to wander the eternal darkness.

Once there, he thought he was alone. He could see nothing, save blackness on all sides.

"You heard me," said a voice and another spirit materialized in front of him. It was the woman who resided in Tsuki's Millennium Scale. The one who had caused stirrings in him that he'd never felt before. He felt his body reacting again as it had when he'd first laid eyes on her. And it angered him – this not understanding.

"Who are you?" he demanded. What power did she have over him that made him feel this way?

She cocked her head to one side, gold hair bands swaying, her brown eyes quizzical. "Hmm? Oh…I forgot…you don't remember me," she said sadly.

"What?" he said. Was this woman someone from his past – his ancient past?

"Yami…darling," she said softly, "Let me help you remember…"

Before he could say anything else, the blackness vanished and they were suddenly in the temple that was his mind. "Wha-?" he stammered, "How were you able to get into my mind?"

"I've always been here," she said, "My name is Dedi…your Queen, Yami."

_Queen?! _ Yami's eyes widened. "Surely I would remember something as important as that."

"Yet you forgot yourself for a time, didn't you?" she asked. 

It was true, but he couldn't bring himself to admit it.

"If you don't believe me, let me prove it to you," she said, and began walking into the depths of his mind, her soft-soled shoes making barley a sound on the stone floor.

"Wait!" Yami cried, running after her, "The mental defenses! They'll destroy you!"

Though she did not run, Dedi moved swiftly and came to her destination very quickly. Yami stopped a few feet behind her. This door was one of the most heavily guarded! Surely she didn't think to enter it?

But she did, and as he watched with anxious anticipation, her hand touched the stone and the door slid open slowly. He held his breath. Any second now the fires would come up and engulf her. 

She stepped into the room. And the lights came up. She glanced around, and called back, "It's perfectly safe. You can come in and see for yourself." 

Amazed, and very curious, Yami stepped into the room. It was decorated sparingly with a few long curtains here and there, but other than that, empty. "What is this place?" he mused.

"You used to keep me here," she said, "when we couldn't be together. My memory stayed with you always." She turned to face him, smiling, "I was never much for material things – probably why the room is so empty. Do you remember?"

Yami stood perfectly still, frozen. Images were flooding his mind, much too quickly for anyone but him to process. He saw it all. She had been a girl of the Tribes, brought to the palace to serve him. And…and they had fallen in love… 

The memories kept coming. Year after year rolled over in his mind until his fell to his knees, overwhelmed. She had been his queen…it was all as clear as if it had never been forgotten. He felt someone touch his arm and looked up, the images fading quickly away as the real thing knelt before him.

"I have missed you…" Dedi said quietly, "I am sorry I have not revealed myself sooner – but I never had the opportunity."

"Dedi…" he spoke her name as a man awakening from a dream. He reached out and touched her face. She was soft, and very real. "I…I had no idea…"

Tears welled in her beautiful eyes, "Yami…"

Not another word was spoken between them. They knelt for a long while in silence, taking in everything. Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. The chill that ran through his body was one he had never thought he could feel. She wrapped her arms around him and he felt more complete than he had in ages.

For a while it was only kissing. The past was still distant, dream-like to him, and for that reason, he found himself feeling more than a little unsure of himself. He kissed her back, but his arms were like lead and he could not lift them to hold her.

She seemed not to mind. Perhaps he had always been shy with her. He felt her hands leave his back and travel up to his throat, where they found the collar he was wearing. She fingered it, and then broke the kiss suddenly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Such a strange thing…" she said, tugging gently at the collar, "Why do you where a belt around your neck?"

It took Yami a second to find the words to answer, "It's…more of a collar really," he muttered, embarrassed. Yugi's fashion sense had always been foreign to him.

"A collar?" she echoed, "Does your host hold you prisoner?"

"No, nothing like that," Yami shook his head quickly, "It's just a style…it doesn't mean anything."

"Oh…" she nodded, "How does it come off?"

_ Off? _ Yami fiddled with the collar and tossed it on the stone floor, wondering with growing curiosity just what else she might want him to take off.

She smiled and stroked his cheek. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this day."

He gulped, "And what…_particularly_ have you been waiting for…?" 

She kissed him again and he felt her un-tuck his shirt. Her hands slipped under the fabric and he felt himself shiver as they touched his skin. She pulled away from him and lifted the shirt up over his head. He found himself raising his arms up willingly, and felt the damp air of the chamber close down on his bare chest and back.

She placed her hands on his chest and he shivered again. "Now you," she said, grinning.

"…Me…?" he said, feeling his cheeks burn. 

"Yes," she said, nodding, and took his hand in hers. She moved to bring his hand to her top, but he pulled back. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"This isn't right," he said, "This isn't even my true mind, Dedi. It would be dishonoring to my host."

She lowered her eyes to the floor, "I understand…" She sighed, and then looked up, eyes bright, "A different location then."

"Huh?" Yami said, but already the walls around them were dissolving, and soon they were seated on the black floor of the Shadow Realm. A large bed, styled in Egyptian fashion stood next to them and he knew all too well what it was meant for. Needless to say, the reddening in his cheeks did not subside.

"You were always so shy," she said and all at once, his attention was on her, "That was probably what surprised me most about you."

He cocked an eyebrow. Apparently it was not just his unfamiliarity with the situation that was making him nervous. She was reaching for his hands again, leading them around behind her. "Go ahead," she said, "Find the clasps and unhook them."

Nervously, he fumbled with the hooks that held her top on. He let the cloth fall off of her and stared, dumbstruck. It was the first time in a millennia that he had looked upon a woman in this way. He felt the arousal stirring in him again and was suddenly conscious of how perverted he must look to her. He turned his eyes to the floor.

She took his chin in her hands and tilted his head towards her again. "Yami…am I not beautiful to you anymore?" she asked, and he saw worry in her eyes.

"No, it's not that at all," he said, "I just thought –" But he didn't get to finish his sentence, because as he reached out to her, his hand landed on her naked breast and he felt his whole body turn an embarrassed beet red.

He looked up at her guiltily, but she was grinning. He noticed a bit of color had come to her cheeks as well. "You are much more forward than I remember, Yami," she said.

"I – I didn't mean to – I'm sorry," he stuttered, pulling his hand away quickly.

"It's okay," she said with a small laugh, "I've missed you're touch."

She put a hand on his thigh and he felt himself do the opposite of what he expected – he relaxed. The burning in his cheeks resided. He met her eyes and smiled. She took his arms in her hands and stood up, bringing him to his feet as well. "I think that's it's only fair," she said quietly, "That this last part is done at the same time.

He was confused for only a brief moment, until she started unlatching his belt. He reached behind her finding latches on her skirt that had matched the ones on her top. She unzipped his pants as he unhooked the first clasp. The second clasp and his pants were down around his ankles. He stepped out of them, the boots getting kicked off as well. The last clasp was unhooked and as her skirt fell loosely off of her, so his boxers did off of him.

They stood there for a moment, Yami wondering if he was going to have to make the first move. Then Dedi wrapped her arms around him, kissing him and pulling him down onto the bed. She swung one leg over him and he felt a new sensation sweep over him. It all became familiar to him – the taste of her kiss, the warmth of her body pressed against his, the smell of her hair as it brushed against his forehead.

And he knew what to do. It was all coming back to him there in the heat of the moment. He ran one hand down her back and she pulled him closer to her. And in that moment, they became one. 

A few intoxicating moments later, the two of them crawled under the cool cotton sheets and fell asleep in each others arms. 


	13. Chapter 13 The Warning

Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience! [Strictly from Sam] I've been taking PSSA tests all this week, so I haven't had time to get over her and update! I'm so sorry! But don't worry - it ends today, so updates will go back to their regularly-scheduled speed. ^_^ Thank you! 

* * *

Chapter 13

"The Warning"

Yugi spent the night alone in his room, like a good 14-year old. He was also the first among the group of young men to awaken, once again. After the usual yawning and stretching, he looked around to see that his friends didn't share in his sentiment of "the early bird gets the worm". He sighed. Why was it that the older you were, the longer it took for you to get up? Maybe some hot, tasty breakfast from the hotel restaurant would convince these three lazy teens to start the day at 7:00 like a normal kid. Putting on just his shoes, Yugi began his quest for food.

He never made it past the door. When he opened it to leave the room, he noticed that there was a cloak lying on the door mat. Yugi's eyes traveled all over the lump of cloth nervously; where had he seen this before? The young boy picked it up and held it by the hood, which made the piece of clothing slowly unravel itself. Yugi turned very white and began to feel sick. It was the cloak that Ambrosius had been wearing yesterday! 

This wasn't only disturbing because of the thought that someone was leaving their clothes on his doorstep, but there were several things different about this cloak that really made Yugi scared. The symbol of the Millennium Shield had forcefully torn out of the fabric, and all around the now empty space was dried, deep red blood.

The scream that Yugi emitted undoubtedly did a better job of waking up his friends than and food could have done (though I'm sure that they would have preferred breakfast to primal scream therapy). He dropped the cloak and flew like the wind back into the room where he hid in Joey's covers, shaking like a rabbit.

Joey was utterly confused by his friend's behavior, and peeked under the sheets at him. "Whatsa matter, Yug?" he asked, "Have a nightmare or somethin'?"

Yugi said nothing, but pointed a trembling finger in the direction of the doorway. Joey glanced over that way. There was something there alright, but what was it? He climbed out of bed and walked over to it. When he picked up the cloth and got a good look at it, he went just a pale as Yugi had, screamed and leapt back into his own bed, shivering under the covers next to the younger boy.

"For crying out loud, would you knock off the yelling?" Tristan said, sitting up with his hands over his ears.

"Really now," said Bakura, rubbing his eyes, "What's gotten into you two?"

Yugi just pointed again at the doorway. Tristan and Bakura walked over to it. Tristan picked up the cloth, and his eyes narrowed. Bakura went rather blue in the face, but bit his tongue. They heard something soft hit the ground and looked down. An envelope had fallen from the folds of the cloth. 

Tristan handed the cloak to a frightened Bakura and bent to pick up the letter. 

Using no finesse what-so-ever, the brown-haired teen tore open the envelope, then began to read what was written on the yellowed piece of papyrus:

_Pharaoh: _

_End Round One_

_Yami vs. Ambrosius_

_Begin Round Two:_

_Yami vs. Lightning_

_Yami vs. Fire_

_Yami vs. Wind_

_-Jetsu_

Tristan carried the letter over to Joey's bed, where the two boys were still hiding. "Yugi – I think you should have a look at this," he said, holding it out. 

Yugi sat up, letting the sheets slide off of him and Joey. Nervously, he took hold of the letter. After a glare from Tristan, Joey sat up as well. As Yugi read the message, with his best friend reading over his shoulder, he felt a lump form in his throat. _Where is Yami?? _He thought desperately. If there was ever a time he needed the Spirit to be there, it was now. Unbeknownst to everyone, the Millennium Puzzle began glowing…

* * *

Yami woke with a start, and sat up. Yugi was calling him – he was in some sort of trouble. The millennium symbol glowed brightly on his forehead and he put a hand to it, knowing that it was this which had awakened him. But why wasn't he with Yugi in the first place?

He glanced around and it all started coming back to him. Dedi was sleeping soundly next to him, her ebony hair shining, her lips slightly curled in a contented smile. He sighed as he watched her. She was so beautiful. He'd never realized how much he'd missed her until she was there with him. 

But the symbol on his forehead continued to glow and he knew he couldn't stay in the Shadow Realm with her any longer. Yugi needed him and he had to go. Smiling sadly, he leaned over, kissed her gently, and then vanished, taking his clothes with him. 

* * *

Yami appeared in the boy's hotel room seconds later (and fully clothed again). The scene was a troubling one. Yugi was sitting one Joey's bed, letting his best friend keep one arm over his shoulders supportively, while Tristan watched. Yugi was holding a sheet of papyrus in trembling hands. Bakura was staring nervously at a bundle of cloth he was holding (seemingly against his better judgment).

"Yugi…" Yami said.

The 14 year-old looked up immediately, though none of the others had heard the Spirit or felt his presence. "Yami!" Yugi cried, not caring if his friends thought he was crazy. A wave of relief had spread over him so quickly; he thought he might cry for joy. "Where have you been??"

Yami felt his cheeks redden. How could he tell Yugi what he'd been doing the night before? His host would never look at him the same way again. He shook his head, "That's not important right now," he said, "What's wrong?? What's happened?"

Yugi didn't quite know where to start. He cast a gaze at the others in the room. They were all looking around, knowing the Yami was in the room, but not sure where. "Take a look at this," he said, holding out the note. 

Yami concentrated hard and managed to take hold of it. The others watched, amazed. He read it over gravely.

"And it was tucked inside…" Yugi swallowed hard and pointed at Bakura, "…that." Bakura let the cloth unravel again and Yami got a good look at it. His eyes widened. Whatever forces they'd dealt with before – none of them had been so blunt with their threats. Finally having enough, Bakura tossed the torn and blood-stained cloak on the floor and began wiping his hands off on his T-shirt.

Yami turned back to Yugi as the boy asked, "Do you have any idea who 'Jetsu' is?"

The Pharaoh made to answer – to tell his counterpart that he didn't know – but another voice spoke up. "I do." Everyone turned to look at Tristan, who was looking very serious. "There's something I have to tell you guys…"

They all turned to him attentively, and he took a deep breath…

And then the door to their room was flung open! Mai, Tea and Tsuki burst into the room. They were dressed, but it looked like it had been done in a hurry. "We heard screaming," Tea said.

"What's going on?" Mai demanded.

They all turned their eyes on Tristan again.

* * *

"And then I went back to the hotel to wait for you guys," Tristan finished, "I can tell the whole thing scared the shit out of me." The whole group of them was sitting around the boys' room, listening solemnly. 

"Whoa…" Joey said after a moment of silence.

"Why did you tell us now?" Yugi asked.

"Well," Tristan shrugged, "I figured the guy had shown himself to you, so there wasn't any danger in letting it out."

"Basically," Mai said, "You were saving your own hide."

Tristan looked at her, hurt and surprised, not knowing at all what to say to that. He felt a hand on his arm and turned. Tea was looking at him sympathetically.

She turned to Mai, "What a horrible thing to say!" she said, "You can't tell me that you wouldn't have done the same thing, if you'd been in that position. He had every right to be scared."

Mai put a hand up defensively, "Hey, sorry," she said, "I didn't mean anything by it. Relax."

But nothing Mai could've said would have stung Tristan as much as Tea's words had. _He had every right to be scared. _It was like he was a toddler who was having bad dreams about monsters. So she _ did _think he was still a kid. But what was he doing, worrying about that when they clearly had so much else to be concerned with? 

He shook his head to get himself focused again, "Well, anyway… do you have any idea what this note means, Yugi? I understand the first part… (Yugi shuddered slightly) But what does the rest of this mean? How can the Spirit of your Puzzle battle with natural elements?"

Yugi attempted to recover himself, but didn't do a very good job of it (he still made sure that Yami wasn't going anywhere), "I don't know… I guess that we'll find out soon enough," 

At this time Joey stood up and strode over to Yugi, putting an arm around him, "Don't you worry, Yug! I'm gonna be right there beside ya, and if any of this Jetsu guy's punks try anything, they'll have to get through me first!"

A voice cut in before Yugi could reply, "And me!" Everyone turned to look, and they saw that Bakura had tossed aside the bloody cloak. He then pulled out his own golden chain, revealing two mini-items, "I wasn't sure if I was going to follow through and actually compete in this tournament, but either I do or my Spirit will force me. I wanted to try being a competitor instead of a spectator for once! And now, I have good reason to duel!"

Everyone stared at him in amazement. "You'd really do that?" Yugi asked.

"Yes," Bakura nodded determinedly, though he was looking a bit surprised at himself.

"You can count me in, kid," Mai added.

"Me too," Tsuki said.

"I don't want you guys you put yourselves in danger because of me," Yugi protested.

"Don't mention it," Mai brushed off his worry with a wave of her hand, "If this tournament's gonna be rigged anyway, might as well be on the winning team, right?" she gave him a thumbs up.

"I wanna help," Tsuki insisted. She put a hand over his and he felt himself blush, "You saved me once already. Let me make it up to you."

"Well, just be careful, okay?" Yugi told her.

"I will," she said, looking more grown up than he'd seen before. He felt eyes on him and turned. Yami was staring at them with a sort of amused smile. He wondered what the spirit was thinking.

"Alright!!" Joey said, standing up and pumping a fist in the air, "We've got the dream team all ready to go!!"

"Maybe the cheerleader for the dream team should put on some pants," Mai said, smirking.

Joey glanced down at himself. In all the confusion, the boys had all forgotten to get changed. Each one realized this at the same moment, and grinned embarrassedly.

"That's enough outta the peanut gallery," Joey said quickly, ushering the girls out of the room, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were always walkin' in on us on purpose!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Mai said, winking, and then shutting the door behind her.

There was silence for just a few seconds, when it was suddenly broken by the sound of Tristan's annoyed voice, "Yeah…"


	14. Chapter 14 A Slew of Reunions

Author's Note: Okay! Here - have some Kaiba-Goodness! Also: does anyone out there know the Egyptian words for Fire, Earth, and Lightning?? If you do, please let us know in your reviews! Thank you!

* * *

Chapter 14

"A Slew of Reunions"

Meanwhile, in the giant tournament Pyramid, operations had already begun. Vitani took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It was her duty to inform Lord Jetsu of all the happenings in the tournament and whatever else had taken place concerning the Ancient Egyptian magic. Being the right-hand women, some might envy her, because she was on such close terms with the powerful lord. 

This was, however, not the case. If she failed in any of her duties (or if there was another breech in security) Lord Jetsu would hold her responsible. He had told her this upon her return from escorting that stupid kid out of the building. She knew that it was all Ambrosius' fault, but he had paid for his mistakes, and Lord Jetsu would hear nothing of it. _Job security, my ass…_

As she went to knock on his chamber door, she heard a voice from within, "Vitani, come in…"

She pushed the door open nervously and stepped inside. Somehow she never needed to know. Her lord could always sense that she was approaching. More millennium magic, she guessed. The room she entered was large and dimly lit. Lord Jetsu himself was hidden in shadows, seated on a stone throne.

"My lord," she said, bowing deeply, "You message to Yugi Moto has been delivered – and discovered – just as you planned."

"Good," he said.

"The Tournament is progressing nicely," she continued, "In a few more days, only the finalists will be left."

"And do they suspect anything?" he asked.

"Only those surrounding the boy," she said, "As you planned. All others have no knowledge of our doings."

"Excellent," he said.

"And the Elementals have arrived," she said, "They await your orders, sir. What shall I tell them is your command?"

Jetsu was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Dispatch them immediately. But tell them to stagger their confrontations with Moto. I want him to be on his best when he duels each one."

"Yes, my lord," Vitani bowed again and made to leave.

"Oh, and one more thing," Jetsu said, and she turned back to face him, "Tell them that if they wish – they may act as Eliminators while they wait for their chance to face off with the Pharaoh."

"As you wish," she nodded. Then she turned and left the room, shutting the thick stone door behind her. The Three Elementals…here. She had seen them work before, but every time it was amazing. As she headed down the corridor, she decided that she was very looking forward to seeing them in action again.

* * *

Across town, in the hotel that held only one pair of brothers, Mokuba Kaiba was wide awake and already hyper from the heaping bowl of sugary cereal he'd helped himself to that morning. He wandered into the room his big brother had claimed, to see if he was up yet.

Seto, of course, was most definitely not awake. He was curled up in the fetal position on his king-sized bed, hugging his pillow to him. Mokuba couldn't help but stifle a laugh at the sight. He darted back out of the room and returned with a camera in hand.

_ SNAP! FLASH!! _ The blinding light of the flash bulb filled the room, and as it faded, Seto woke up. He blinked in surprise and then his gaze fell on his little brother, who was grinning broadly. "What the…?" he asked.

"You're very photogenic, Seto," Mokuba said, waving the camera in the air.

"What?? Gimme that!!" Kaiba cried, clambering out of the bed. 

Laughing, Mokuba took off, getting a good head start when Seto got tangled in the sheets. He was out the door and halfway down the hallway by the time his big brother started after him. He slid down the banister into the empty lobby and ducked inside the common room. Thinking that Seto had given up the chase, he slumped down on one of the couches, panting.

He had barely begun to catch his breath when he heard a "Gotcha!" from behind him and felt his big brother grab him under the armpits and lift him into the air!

"Hey! Put me down! Come on, Seto!" he cried, scrambling to get loose.

"No way," Kaiba said, holding tight, "Not until you give me that camera."

"Uh-uh!" Mokuba said, lifting it high in the air, "I'm keeping it."

To his surprise, Kaiba's voice was gentle when he responded, "Alright…" 

"Huh?" Mokuba said. Kaiba set him down so he was standing on the back of the couch, then turned him around so they were facing each other. Then he lifted him up again, straddling him on his hip like he used to do when they were littler. Mokuba put his arms around Kaiba's neck and hugged him. "How come you gave up?" he asked.

"It just didn't seem worth it anymore," Kaiba shrugged, "But if you show that to _anyone_…"

Mokuba laughed, "I wouldn't do that…unless I really needed to."

"You'd better be careful what you say," Kaiba said teasingly, "You're not the only one with a camera you know."

Mokuba leaned back so he could look at his brother's face. "Whadda you mean by that?"

"Oh nothing…" Kaiba grinned, "Just watch out next time you go to take a shower."

"You wouldn't!!" Mokuba cried.

"You wanna bet?" Kaiba asked, smiling almost evilly.

"Ooh…" Mokuba pouted, "You're no fun."

"That's your opinion," Kaiba said, "Now, speaking of fun – what do you say we head out and eliminate some dueling losers?"

"Kay!" Mokuba agreed. Kaiba set him on the ground, and he ran off to go get ready. The older boy just smiled and followed after him.

* * *

After a quick breakfast (Yugi refused to eat anything), the group headed out of the hotel, ready to begin a new day. Bakura made sure that he had his deck with him, though he wasn't sure if he would get to do any actual dueling. He could sense the Spirit of the Ring stirring, getting ready to take him over at a moment's notice. It worried him because his Spirit was never a help or comfort to him, like Yugi's was. He often found himself jealous of the relationship Yugi and Yami had. Why did he always have the worst luck in the world? It just wasn't fair…

As they roamed the streets together (during which Tristan and Joey were bickering like the old friends that they were, Yugi was giving Bakura some pointers on his deck, and Tea and Mai compared the styles and trends of Egypt to Japan), they were nearly bowled over by two children (Japanese by the look of them) that were running between buildings. 

Yugi heard one of them say something as they ran off. It sound something like: "Yeah, we gotta hurry! Seto Kaiba's dueling!" Surprised, Yugi turned to his friends, "Hey guys! Did you hear that? Those kids said something about Kaiba dueling! He didn't quit after all!" Excited beyond belief, Yugi ran off, following the kids as they ran to the duel.

"He's really worked up about this, isn't he?" Mai said, cocking an eyebrow. She turned to Joey, and was shocked to see that his eyes were sparkling just like Yugi's had. "Oh man," he said, "No way I'm missin' this!!" With that, he tore down the street after Yugi.

"Huh?" Mai said.

"Hey, wait for me!" Tristan called. Then he, Tea and Bakura ran off as well.

Tsuki looked up at Mai, "Do you think it's really Seto Kaiba?" she asked.

"Well," Mai said, "There's only one way to find out, right?"

"Right!" Tsuki nodded, and she and Mai hurried off as well.

* * *

They arrived at the scene of the duel in a matter of minutes. Yugi, being the smallest, was able to squeeze through the crowd and come through to the front quickly. The sight he beheld was a disappointing one. Kaiba was there alright, along with his younger brother Mokuba. But the duel was over, and Kaiba's opponent was on his knees.

"Aww…we missed it!" Joey moaned.

Mokuba was pumping his fists in the air triumphantly, "Way to go, Seto!"

Kaiba smirked and approached his opponent, whom Yugi recognized as Espa Roba. The false psychic was picking himself up when Kaiba stuck a hand out in front of him. It was no gesture of sportsmanship, though. "Hand over you're Items, just like we agreed."

Sadly, Espa unhooked his gold chain with two items from around his neck and dropped it into Kaiba's outstretched hand. Kaiba's fingers closed around them and he grinned smugly. That made five altogether. "Next time, I hope you'll know better than to call _me_ a has-been," he said. He put the chain into the pocket of his cloak and called, "Let's go, Mokuba."

"Kay!" the black-haired boy said cheerfully, picking up Kaiba's silver briefcase. He had started after his brother, but stopped short when he caught sight of a familiar face at the front of the crowd, "Yugi! Hi!"

Kaiba cringed as he heard the little King of Games exchange happy greetings with Mokuba. _Why?! Why??? My day was going so good…_ Sighing, Kaiba turned back and strode over to where Mokuba had stopped. Since the duel was over, the crowd had begun to disperse and Kaiba could see that Yugi had all of his little groupies with him as well. 

"Mokuba, I said 'Let's go'," he said, scowling.

"I know," Mokuba said, "But look who's here!"

"Yeah…I see," Kaiba said, grimly nodding at his most worthy adversary, "Yugi."

"Kaiba," Yugi returned the nod.

"And the gang's all here," Kaiba said, surveying the group, "So Wheeler, I see you're still following Yugi around like a lost puppy."

"You wanna say that again??" Joey snapped, and Tristan had to hold him back, as he tried to lunge at Kaiba.

Kaiba just smirked. Then his gaze landed on Tsuki, who had come up beside Yugi. "Oh, this is too cute," he snickered, "Found yourself a girlfriend, have you, Moto?"

Yugi felt his cheeks burn. "It's not like that…" he murmured. 

"Look who's talking," Mai said, "I don't see a woman on your arm, Kaiba. I'd think someone with your cash would be able to afford one."

Kaiba flushed. "Would you like to back up your big mouth, Valentine?" he snarled.

"No," she said, smiling, "I'm happy just insulting you."

For a moment, Kaiba was furious beyond words. At last, he grabbed Mokuba by the ear and began walking of, "Like I said – Let's **_go_**."

"Ack!" Mokuba cried, hopping along behind his brother, "Bye guys!!"

As the Kaiba brothers disappeared around the nearest corner, Yugi turned his attention to Kaiba's defeated opponent. Espa was moping a ways over, as his little brothers tried to comfort him. 

Joey immediately reverted his anger from Kaiba to Espa and ran over to him, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKIN', DUELIN' KAIBA?? I DIDN'T EVEN GET THE REMATCH I WANTED!!"

"Joey!" Yugi cried, running over with the others. 

Tristan pulled Joey away from the younger duelist and slapped him twice in the face, "Chill out, man!"

Joey seemed to snap out of it. "Huh? Oh…heh heh heh," he laughed nervously, putting one hand behind his head, "Sorry 'bout that, Roba."

Espa shook his head, "No…I deserve that, I suppose. I should have known better than to taunt Kaiba that way."

"Taunt him?" Yugi echoed, "What do you mean?"

Espa tried to answer, but the words wouldn't come, so the eldest of his younger brothers stepped forward. "Big brother said…well he…uh…"

"He called him a has-been!" blurted out one of the younger ones, making the older two spazz slightly.

"Yeah," added another, licking a lollipop, "Told 'im he was all washed up after his defeat at Battle City."

Espa turned crimson, and Mai said, "From the mouths of children, and all that."

"I don't get it," Joey said, scratching his head, "Why would you do that? I mean, I know Kaiba seemed pretty out-of-it after Battle City, but why get him all riled up like that?"

Espa's shoulders slumped. "It was pride, I guess," he shrugged, "I'm sorry we didn't get the rematch you wanted."

"Ahh, forget it," Joey said, wiping a finger under his nose, "There'll be other times, right?"

"I certainly hope so," Espa agreed.

It was then that they all heard a high-pitched scream in the distance. Espa and Joey cut off their apologies and stared in the direction from whence the noise had emitted. Espa spoke first, "It sounds like someone is in need of your help, my friends," He reached up and put a hand on Joey's shoulder, "There will be other times for us to duel. Maybe after the tournament is done, so we can enjoy ourselves."

Joey smiled and gave Roba the thumbs-up, "Alright, I'm lookin' forward to it!"

"C'mon Joey!" Yugi and the others had already begun to run off.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Joey ran off without so much as another word to Espa, who sighed to himself, and went back to moping.

They entered the center of the city quickly, and came upon the source of the scream. Rebecca Hawkins (the 9-year-old dueling "genius" from America) had fallen to her knees on the sandy street, teddy bear in one hand, pounding the ground with the other hand. "No! No! No! No! It's not fair!! My Shadow Ghoul was supposed to win!!"

The gang exchanged confused glances. Where was Rebecca's opponent?? Yugi took a quick look around the area and spotted the only possible candidate. A man in his late twenties was sitting Indian style on one of the café benches. He had short, spiked, red hair, and green eyes. He wore a typical 'biker-boy' style outfit, complete with leather jacket (despite the unbearable heat).

"Too bad," he said, hopping off the table and approaching her, "Twin-Headed Fire Dragon won instead. Now hand over your items."

Rebecca looked up at him with watery eyes, her lower lip trembling.

But pulling the cute act was not going to work this time. The stranger raised a hand and smacked her across the face, sending her sprawling on the street.

"HEY!!!" Joey cried, running forth, "What's the big idea, ya creep?!?"

Mai and Tea rushed to Rebecca's side. Mai lifted her up gently, checking for any serious injuries while Tea fumbled in Mai's bag for a first-aid kit.

The red-haired man gave Joey a smug sneer, "You wanna do somethin' about it, punk?"

"You bet I do!" Joey cried, "Nobody gets away with hittin' a little girl!" He moved to step closer, but someone put a hand out in front of him, stopping him. "Huh?"

It was Bakura. He was very pale, but his jaw was set, and there was determination in his eyes. "Let me duel him, Joey," he said, though his voice shook a little.

"You sure?" Joey asked.

"Yes," Bakura said, swallowing hard.

The stranger laughed heartily, "Oh, this'll be good," he said.

Yugi looked from one to the other worriedly. Did Bakura really know what he was getting himself into? For his friend's sake, he hoped so.

As Bakura stepped forward, he felt a suddenly prick at his mind, and it began to grow numb. He feebly looked down and saw that the Ring was glowing brightly against his pale white cloak. _No, I can duel on my own… I don't… want …your…help…_

The fiery man's eyes widened, "You… You have a Millennium Item! I'll bet all five of the items I've collected from the weaklings in this tournament against your Item!" 

Much to the man's surprise, the white-haired boy pulled it forcefully from around his neck and thrust it out towards the man, "Here, take it! Please!" Suddenly, Bakura noticed that everything was going black around him. _No…_

In a flash of light, Bakura was gone, and Yami Bakura had replaced him. He calmly placed the Ring back around his neck, "I will accept your challenge and your terms," he activated the Duel Disk 2 that Bakura had been wearing. His head turned and he looked at Yugi briefly. The Puzzle…that and the Scale would both soon be his.


	15. Chapter 15 The Fifth Duel: Fire

Chapter 15

"The Fifth Duel: Fire"

"You'll regret having challenged my vessel to this duel! This is a match that you cannot win!" Yami Bakura slowly drew his cards, clearly seeing that his words had struck a cord within this man. He had to be one of the henchmen to this Jetsu he had heard about this morning through that fool Tristan. The next time any of those friends to the pharaoh interfered with his affairs, he wouldn't hold back. And once this match was over, he would have access to the tournament Pyramid. Access to another of the Millennium Items…

The fire duelist glowered at the holder of the Ring and ran a hand through his short, spiky red hair. This kid talked a big game, but he'd knocked down plenty of brash teens like this. This one would be no different, even if he was several millennia old. Lord Jetsu had informed him and the other Elementals (his siblings) about the Spirits that resided in the Millennium Items. This one must be the ancient cat burglar of Egypt, a notorious thief in his time and a dangerous being, "Just keep talkin', thief! You'll soon see who the real hotshot is here! I'm one of Lord Jetsu's private Eliminators, Fuego, and the world's greatest Fire Duelist! You're about to get seriously burned!" Fuego slipped six slick cards from his Duel Disk 2 in succession then glanced down causally (Fireyarou, Darkfire Soldier #1, Tyhone #2, Soul Exchange, Molten Destruction, Ultimate Offering), "Let's get this duel started!"

"As you wish," the evil spirit looked at his own hand (Masked Sorcerer, Change of Heart, Hiro's Shadow Scout, Widespread Ruin, Mechanical Spider, Nobleman of Crossout) and grinned maliciously. _ Excellent! Bakura's trump card right at the off! This match is already over, _ "I lay one card face-down in defense mode (Hiro's Shadow Scout (650/500)), and one more face-down (Widespread Ruin)."

"While you might want to take your time and play defense, I'm gonna turn up the heat!" Fuego pulled two cards from his hand and placed them on the field, "First, my Soul Exchange card, which allows me to sacrifice one of your monsters to summon one of my higher level ones! I choose Tyhone #2 (1700/1900) in attack mode!" Hiro's Shadow Scout's card shattered, surprising Yami Bakura (though he didn't show it). The fire duelist slapped down a third card, "And this magic card, Molten Destruction) will turn this entire field into a pool of lava, giving Tyhone #2 even more firepower (2200/1500)!" 

Fuego smirked at the spirit, "Not too tough now, are you?" He shook his head, "Well, I can't attack this turn, rules of the Soul Exchange card you know, so I'll just place this one card face-down (Ultimate Offering) and end my turn."

Yami Bakura sniggered softly, "I commend you for powering up your monster so much, even if it was at the expense of my own. I also commend you for having so little brain!" Fuego spluttered in rage and offered a few rather colorful words to the Egyptian spirit. Joey had to cover Yugi's ears quickly ("Joey, knock it off! I can't hear what they're saying!"). It wasn't good for children to learn foul language such as that.

The white-haired thief drew his card (Electric Snake), "I summon the Electric Snake (800/900) in attack mode! Then," The dark Bakura held up a card then put it in his Duel Disk, "I'll play the Change of Heart! It allows me to take control of one of my opponent's monsters for the extent of my turn!" Tyhone #2 flapped its way over to Bakura's side of the field, and hovered next to the electric reptile, "Both of you, attack this fool and end his ridiculous notion of victory!" Two elements of nature smashed into the defenseless man (electricity then fire), knocking him down, and his LP with him. Yami Bakura: 4000 – Fuego: 1000.

"Damn you! Damn you to hell! How dare you abuse my fire monster like that? You'll pay for this you despicable ass!" The Fire Eliminator grabbed his next card (Final Flame), then slammed a button on his Duel Disk 2, "I activate my Trap card, Ultimate Offering! I can summon any number of extra monsters that I want per turn, sacrificing 500 of my LP per monster to do so! So I'll summon the Darkfire Soldier#1 (2200/650) and Fireyarou (1800/500)!"

He raised his left hand and pointed at Yami Bakura, "Soldier, Fireyarou, Tyhone #2! ATTACK THE BASTARD!" Tyhone #2 swooped in at the electric snake, throwing up lava as it flew. Fireyarou (a short man sitting Indian-style above a burst of flames) and the Darkfire Soldier (a warrior with long, blonde hair, standing in flames and holding a curved blade) watched in amusement as the Electric Snake tried to avoid the incoming assault by slithering around in a circle on the little patch of land it was sitting on.

Yami Bakura pressed a button on his Duel Disk #2, and his face-down card activated, "My trap will take care of that attack! Activate Widespread Ruin!" A huge cloud of smoke erupted around the spit-fire monster, incinerating it. Yami Bakura chuckled, "I guess it couldn't take the heat. Well, it stands to reason. Only a stupid duelist would fall for such and obvious trap."

Tea made to cheer, but caught herself. "Um…" she asked Mai, who had stood up, holding Rebecca in her arms, "Who're we supposed to be rooting for?"

"You got me," Mai shrugged.

Fuego curled and uncurled his hands into fists of rage, "You… you… You SON OF A BITCH! I've had enough of you! Even if you do somehow make it past me, you'll never defeat Lord Jetsu! He'll kill you and take your item, you jackass! Darkfire Soldier, attack!" After two furious assaults from the Soldier and Fireyarou, the score had significantly changed: Yami Bakura: 800 - ****: 500.

Fuego put one more card into his Duel Disk, "Lastly, I'll use this Final Flame magic card! It decreases your LP by another 600 points! One more turn and you're finished! Your Millennium Item will be mine!" Yami Bakura: 200 – Fuego: 500.

Joey cocked an eyebrow, "Who _are _we rootin' for, Yug?"

"I really don't know," Yugi shook his head, "On one hand, if Bakura's Spirit wins, he'll be directly in the finals! But on the other hand, I don't think the real Bakura would be too broken up about losing possession of the Ring."

"But we also don't want whoever's behind this to get a hold of it, do we?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know what to think," Yugi said, "I've never seen a duel with so many different angles to the outcome before. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

The evil Spirit drew his card (Just Desserts), threw back his head and began to laugh manically, "I'll play this one card face-down (Just Desserts) and end my turn!"

Fuego began to laugh as well, "I don't even need to draw a card to finish you-"

"But, by rule, you are required to do so," Yami Bakura folded his arms across his chest. He was allowed to activate his trap at any time during his opponents turn, so when the fool drew his card, the Spirit of the Ring could simply activate his trap and end the game before **** had a chance to attack him.

"Fine, if it makes you happy," The man picked up one card and placed in his hand, "Now I will-"

"This duel is already over! I activate this trap card: Just Desserts! It takes away 500 of your LP for every monster you have on the field, which is more than enough to finish you!" A translucent hand came out of the trap and grabbed Fuego, which causing him to cry out in anguish as electricity coursed through his body. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. The holograms faded away. The duel was over and Yami Bakura had won. 

"Well…now what?" Joey asked.

"At least it's over," Tea said, "That was kind of scary."

Yugi realized then that Tsuki had taken hold of his arm again and was clinging to it tightly. She was watching Yami Bakura with wide, frightened eyes. He knew what she was thinking. Any minute now the Spirit of the Ring would make to claim their Items. Well, he wasn't going to let that happen.

From atop a nearby building another person watched as the Spirit of the Ring went to collect what he had won. The cloaked figure slapped themselves in the forehead and muttered quietly to no one in particular, "Fuego, you idiot." The being pulled out a small, cylindrical device and spoke into it, "Master Terra, you must speak with Lord Jetsu. Fuego has failed, but he did discover another of the Millennium Items. Please get the master to spare his miserable life. I will defeat the boy with the Ring and the boy with the Puzzle, then bring the Items to him… promise him that. No, Master Terra, I will not fail…"

Back down on the street, Yami Bakura had claimed his five new mini-items and turned towards the gang. His gaze fell on the youngest pair and he smirked. "You know what I want, kids," he said, "Now hand the Items over and there won't be any trouble."

There was a quick flash of light, from not only the puzzle, but from the Scale tucked inside Tsuki's backpack as well. Then standing in the place where Yugi and Tsuki had been, stood Yami and Dedi. Everyone jumped back slightly in surprise. Even Yami Bakura was shocked to see them together.

Yami's eyes narrowed. "You'll get no such cooperation from us, thief," he said.

"We'll see how well you cooperate after I kill your bitch, pharaoh!" Yami Bakura yelled. He closed his eyes and began to mumble to himself in Egyptian. A blue aura began to form around the evil Spirit, and the Ring lifted slightly between his hands, which were only centimeters from the Millennium Item. A dark red blast of magic rushed outward, looking to strike Dedi head-on. 

The woman didn't flinch. Yami's free hand was up instantly, casting his own Millennium magic. A beam of yellow light met with the red one and they disintegrated each other. "How many times do I have to banish you??" he said, frustrated, waving his hand again. Yami Bakura's image seemed to splinter and break, scattering to the wind, and leaving the real Bakura in his place.

The poor boy was even paler, with dark circles under his eyes. He met gazes with Yami for a split second, before his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out. Yami and Dedi let their hosts take over again. Yugi caught Bakura, and was dragged down to the ground with him. 

The others quickly went to help revive him.

* * *

Bakura didn't come around until noon, and even though the gang tried to force food on him, he only picked at it listlessly. They had moved to a different section of town, back by the waterfront, having left Rebecca with her parents at her hotel. Now they were sitting at a round table under a large umbrella, attempting to eat their lunch. 

Joey watched Bakura worriedly, and asked Yugi in a hushed voice, "How come he's so depressed? He's qualified for the finals after only one duel!"

"Yeah," Yugi said, "But it's a duel _he_ didn't win."

"Oh…right…" Joey said, and went back to his food, contemplating this.

Yugi cast a glance around for his Spirit, and spotted him, standing a little ways off, talking with the spirit of Tsuki's Scale. He watched them quizzically, trying to hear what they were saying.

A bit out of the boy's earshot, Dedi put her hands on her hips, "I really should be angry right now," she said.

"What?" Yami asked, "Why?"

She sighed, "This isn't the first time you've left without saying good-bye. And it probably won't be the last."

Yami felt himself blush, the memories of the previous night returning vividly to his mind. "I-I _am_ sorry," he said, "But Yugi needed me…and I didn't want to disturb you…"

"I wouldn't have minded," she said, "I hate being the last to know what's going on."

"You mean, you know?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, "I probed Tsuki's mind. But I hate doing that – so next time, if something important's happening, please wake me."

"Uh-of course," he said, then gave her a guilty smile, "So…you're not angry?"

"No," she said, "It's seems it's almost impossible to stay mad at you. And it's not like it's the worst you've done."

"It's…not?" he gulped.

"Nope," she said, "One time, you left right in the middle of it!"

But she said this a little too loudly, and Yami hurriedly put a hand over her mouth, panicked. "Not so loud, please!" he begged, "Yugi's right there and I haven't told him that we…you know…" his voice trailed off and he turned red again.

"Oh…" she said, nodding, pulling his hands down, "Why not? It's not like we're doing it out of wedlock. It's a perfectly natural thing to do." She leaned down and kissed him, and he went an even deeper shade of red.

When she broke away, he turned nervously to where Yugi was sitting. The boy was about as red as the Spirit was, and his eyes were wide.

Dedi waved to him, "It's okay! We're married!"

Yami cringed. Why did she have to be so blunt?

"What?" Yugi said aloud, not realizing that the others turned to look at him, "Really, Yami?"

"Yes, Yugi," Yami said, putting a hand behind his head embarrassedly, "This is Dedi – my queen."

"Oh…okay…" Yugi said. He'd never seen the Spirit get so worked up about something before. It was almost kind of funny. Then Dedi kissed him again and Yugi turned away, uncomfortable.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Joey asked him.

"Um…" Yugi didn't quite know what to say, "Yami and the Spirit of the Scale are kind of…um…making out…over there by the wall…" he pointed in their direction.

"Say WHAT??" Joey cried, "Aww…I wish I could see 'em…"

"Wish I couldn't…" Yugi mumbled into his food.


	16. Chapter 16 The Sixth Duel: The Winds of ...

Author's Note: [From Sam] Okay, there's one thing that I'm getting the feeling people are a little confused about. Just so you know, "Sam" is short for "Samantha", not "Samuel". I'm a girl. ^_^

[From Shaun] Later on in this duel, the card Garuda the Wind Spirit is played and its effect comes much sooner than it should - but this is for story purposes. Don't pay it any mind. We're just doing what they do in the TV show all the time.

* * *

Chapter 16

"The Sixth Duel: Winds of Fate"

As soon as lunch was over, Bakura told the others that he was going back to the hotel, to rest. Joey tried to comfort Yugi, who thought that this was entirely his fault, "C'mon Yug, cheer up!" Joey patted his friend on the back as he watched the white-haired boy walk away, "Bakura wanted to duel, remember? And we still gotta get the rest of our Items! So, let's let Bakura sleep it off. Then he'll be back to his old self, cheering you an' me right on to the finals!"

Yugi nodded, though he couldn't force anything more than a weak smile. "Yeah, okay," he said. As they walked away, he mused, "It's too bad Kaiba didn't stick around. I would've liked to duel him."

"Yeah," Joey agreed, "It's too bad _somebody _scared him off," he added, jerking his thumb in Mai's direction.

"Hey!" she snapped, "I didn't see _you_ standing up for Yugi, Wheeler!"

"I was just about to!" he said.

"Sure…"

"I was!"

"Whatever…"

* * *

Bakura wandered the streets of Al Karnak alone. He was a little afraid to go home and rest. Because if he went to sleep, the Spirit was sure to take control again. And he wasn't strong enough to prevent it. 

He was so lost in his own thoughts, that he almost didn't notice the flash of color that whooshed past above him. Startled, he turned his gaze to the rooftops, trying to make sure he hadn't been seeing things that weren't really there. And sure enough, a figure in a blue cloak was leaping from one roof to the next, quickly disappearing from site. 

He shook his head, not sure what to make of it, and not knowing if he should even concern himself with it. He certainly had enough on his plate already. He turned and kept heading in the direction of the hotel. 

* * *

The gang continued along their way, with Tea, Mai and Tsuki each stopping their progress through the city once for window shopping and browsing, which really got on the guys' nerves. Not only were they bored, but it was hot out and they had the option of cooking to death or… going in with the girls. By a vote of 3 to none, they opted to cook.

While trying to find any small portion of shade along one of the store walls, Joey noticed a shadow hanging overhead. He looked up, expecting to see a flag or banner but instead, a figure jumped down from the roof and landed inches away from him. 

It was a young woman with white-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes that matched her cloak. She looked Joey up and down. "Hmph," she said, "You cannot be who I seek. She took a step back, "Which one of you is Yugi Moto?"

Yugi raised a hand slightly, "That would be me…"

"Well then," the woman said, tossing her head so her hair flew back around her, "It is you who I've been looking for. Are you up to a duel?"

"Sure!" Yugi said, but Joey put a hand out in front of him. 

"Not so fast, Yug," he said, and Yugi noticed for the first time that the woman's robe had the Millennium Shield emblem on it. Joey addressed the woman, "If you wanna duel Yugi, you're gonna hafta go through me!"

The woman cocked an eyebrow at him, "Noble, yet stupid. You must be the one they call Wheeler." Joey flushed angrily and she continued, "Very well. I Howa, the Wind Duelist, will accept your challenge."

"I don't care what you are or what ya call yerself! I've seen one of your kind duel today, and if you're anything like him, then you're gonna regret ever accepting a duel with Joey Wheeler!" The brash teen furiously activated his Duel Disk. The man that Bakura had dueled had called himself the Fire Duelist. It must have been a theme or something.

Howa activated her Duel Disk 2 as well. If this boy was a good as his boasting, she'd get a decent duel out of him. But men were often all talk, and lacking skills to back up their claims. 

"Let's Duel!" they cried in unison.

Yugi sighed. At this rate, he'd never make it to the finals! He'd only been in one duel so far! Silently, he vowed that once this duel was over, he'd go looking for Kaiba again. 

Howa drew her first five cards (Skull Red Bird, Takahee, Peacock, Fusion Gate, and Dust Tornado). "Since I pity you, I'll let you make the first move, boy," she told Joey.

"Fine," Joey scowled, "The beginning of the end for you!" Joey grabbed six cards from his Duel Disk (Tiger Axe, Panther Warrior, Headless Knight, Block Attack, Giant Trunade, and Red Eyes Black Dragon) _Awesome! I could win this thing pretty quick with cards like these!_ "I'm gonna play one monster face-down in Defense mode (Headless Knight (1450/1700)) and I'll end my turn there." He folded his arms across his chest, his card fanned out in his hand.

"That's all?" she said, "Ah well. My turn." She drew her next card (Follow Wind). "First, I'll set down the field card, Fusion Gate!"

"Eh?" Joey said, watching as a giant gate materialized high above the field, "What's that do?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Howa said, "Next, I'll play Takahee (1450/1000) in attack mode." A brown bird that looked like a cross between a hawk and an eagle appeared on her side of the field.

_ Great! _ Joey thought to himself, _When she attacks, she's gonna take her own life points! _"Go ahead, Howa!" he said, "Go ahead and bring on you're attack!"

"I shall," she said, "But not before equipping my bird with the Magic Card Follow Wind, bringing it's stats up to 1750/1300!" A red scarf wrapped itself around Takahee's neck and it cawed loudly. "Now go! Attack his face down monster!"

The great bird swooped in low, striking the face down card. The Headless Knight appeared for a second, before disintegrating into a million pieces! 

Joey shielded himself with his hands as a rush of wind covered his side of the field, "NO! My knight!" Joey drew his card (Armored Lizard), "Alright! I summon Armored Lizard (1500/1200) in attack mode!" Seeing her confused look, he selected a magic card and played it, "And I'll use the magic card Block Attack! It switches your monster from attack to defense position. Annnnnd, since your monster has a weaker defense than my attack, my Armored Lizard will destroy your birdie!" The armored, blue lizard rushed forward and slashed twice at the brown bird, which was trying to shield itself with its wings. It, like the knight, shattered into a thousand pieces and disappeared from the field.

Joey grinned, "How about that, huh? I really outplayed ya there!" Joey wiped his nose cockily, feeling very good about himself.

Howa was silent a moment. It had been a good move, no questions there. But it could've been luck. She drew her next card (Spirit of the Books) and considered her options. She smiled. There was a simple step she could take next. "Nice move," she said, "But let's see how your Alligator fairs against my Skull Red Bird (1550/1200)!" She played the card and a large red bird, with sharp beak and talons appeared. "Attack now!"

The bird struck the reptile hard and it vanished. The score was now, Joey: 3950, Howa: 4000.

Howa smiled, "And before I end my turn, I'm going to place one card face-down (Dust Tornado)." A large, brown-backed card appeared in front of the cloaked Egyptian.

"Uh oh…" Tristan said.

"It's alright," Yugi assured him, "Joey has plenty of monsters left that are stronger than that Skull Red Bird. He just has to trust in the heart of the cards!"

_ Awww… man! I'm already behind! C'mon deck, Joey needs yer help here! _Joey pulled his next card from the top of his deck (Scapegoat), "Alright! I'm gonna summon Panther Warrior (2000/1600) in attack mode!" The armored, purple cat materialized out of its card, growling angrily at the red bird facing across from it. "Next, I activate the Magic card Scapegoat!" Four furry little sheep-like animals of various colors appeared on the field, floating in front of Joey, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the battlefield. Joey pointed a finger at the flying creature, "Go, Panther Warrior, attack the Skull Red Bird!"

The wind duelist pushed a button on her Duel Disk 2, "Not so fast, boy! My Dust Tornado Trap card will destroy your Scape Goats!" A mighty gust of wind surrounded the four tiny creatures and blew them away before one could be absorbed into Panther Warrior. The feline soldier broke off his assault, and went back to stand in front of Joey. The Japanese teen was frantic, "No way! Now my Panther Warrior has to wait until next turn to attack!"

Howa laughed, "Tough luck, boy! Surely you've heard of Trap Cards!" She drew her next card (Bladefly), "It's my turn now. And I'll play Bladefly (1100/700) in attack mode." An over-sized bumblebee with sharp front claws appeared on the field.

Joey cocked an eyebrow, "What's that puny bug gonna do?"

"Hmph," she frowned, "This 'puny bug' raises all Wind types attack points by 500 – AND lowers the attack of all Earth types by 400!"

"Uh oh…" Joey muttered.

"So my Skull Red Bird is up to 2050, and your Panther Warrior is down at 1600!" she said, "And you know what that means! Skull Red Bird, Bladefly! Attack!!"

The giant bird swooped in for the kill once more and Panther Warrior was torn to pieces. The large bug then followed suit by swooping in and bashing Joey in the head, knocking him to the ground. Joey: 2800 – Howa: 4000

"Owww…." Joey groaned before standing up again, rubbing his head, "Just you wait! Joey Wheeler still has a few tricks up his sleeve!" he slid the next card off of the Duel Disk 2, and it readjusted itself to hold his slightly smaller deck securely (Graceful Dice), "I'll summon Tiger Axe (1300/1100), in attack mode!" The tiger warrior appeared on the field, but lost 500 attack points as Bladefly buzzed high above, "And I'll play one card face-down. I'd advise you not to attack my Tiger Axe, because I've got a trap all ready and waiting for you!" He folded his arms cockily. She would probably think he was bluffing from this bout of bad acting, which was fine with him. A 2 or better from the Graceful Dice would beat out Bladefly, and a 3 or better would make Skull Red Bird kill itself. 

"Please," she scoffed, "I suggest you take some acting classes, boy." She drew her next card (Faith Bird) and her face lit up. "Perfect!! I'll play Faith Bird (2000/1100) in attack mode. And by doing this, both Skull Red Bird and Faith Bird can leap into the Fusion Gate!" And both birds did so. "The Fusion Gate acts as a permanent Polymerization! Now a new monster is born – the Crimson Sunbird (2800/1800)! HA HA HA HA HA!!"

Out of the Fusion Gate came a large red and orange bird. It spread its wings out and flapped them aimlessly, stirring up the dust on the streets. Its cry echoes over the rooftops.

Joey, Yugi and Tristan all stared up at it in awe. At that moment, Mai, Tea and Tsuki emerged from the store they'd been in, looking very confused. 

"Why didn't you guys tell us Joey was dueling?" Mai asked Yugi.

"Sorry," he said, "It happened kinda fast – we didn't think of it."

"Besides that," Tristan said, "shopping is against all our moral beliefs."

"Very funny," Tea said.

"So who's winning?" Tsuki asked, stepping up next to Yugi.

"Well…right now, Joey's pretty far behind," he admitted, "But he's not out of it yet!"

Joey, for his part, was staring up at the Crimson Sunbird, a sweatdrop forming on his head. "That's it?" he asked incredulously, "It's…eh…stupid…to put it mildly…"

And it was – the bird's face hinted at anything but intelligence. However, Howa didn't seem to think so. Her eyes blazed with blue fire and she cried, "How dare you!! You won't think it's so stupid when it eliminates your Tiger Axe!! Go, Sunbird!! Attack!!" The large, winged beast swooped down towards Tiger Axe, intent on using its large beak to wipe almost all of Joey's remaining life points…

"I may be a bad actor, but you just fell for it, so what does that say about you? I even warned you that I had a trap waiting!" Joey clicked a button, and his card flipped face-up. A little, well-dressed fairy holding a blue dice came out and tossed it, "My Graceful Dice card will multiply my Tiger Axe's attack points by whatever number is rolled! I need a four or higher for my Tiger to have a good chicken dinner!" The die hopped around on the sandy street, changing values with each roll, before stopping on a 4! "Alright! Time for turkey!" Tiger Axe (3600/1100) leaped up and chopped the bird in half, destroying the fused monster and changing the score in Joey's favor: Joey: 2800 – Howa: 3200.

Not wanting to let up on the momentum that he had, Joey grabbed his card (Swordsman of Landstar), "I summon the Swordsman of Landstar (100/1200) in attack mode! Go Tiger Axe, destroy that oversized bug!" Tiger Axe leapt into the air again and decimated the insect card. Joey: 2400 – Howa: 700 

Joey thrust a finger forward at Howa, "And now that your bug is gone, my monsters both reclaim some lost points! C'mon Swordsman, attack!" Swordsman of Landstar raised its broadsword in triumph as its stats returned to normal (500/1200), and Tiger Axe merely grunted (4000/1100), as a 400 point increase was no longer a big difference to the pumped up monster. The little monster rushed forward and swiped its sword at Howa, not touching her but bombarding her with wind from the stroke. Joey: 2400 – Howa: 200.

Howa picked herself up off the ground, where she'd fallen as a result of the Swordsman's attack. This couldn't be! There was no way this cocky boy could be getting the better of her! She said nothing, just drew her next card (Garuda the Wind Spirit). She smiled slightly. It wasn't over yet. "Don't start counting on victory yet," she said, "By removing the destroyed Bladefly from play, I'm able to summon Garuda the Wind Spirit (1600/1200) in attack mode! When I play him, he allows me to change the position of any monster on my opponent's side of the field! Your Tiger Axe is now permanently in Defense Mode!"

On the field, a tall, humanoid figure with bird head and wings appeared, and waved a hand at the Tiger Axe, forcing it to kneel down. "Then," Howa said, "Garuda will destroy the Swordsman of Landstar! Attack!"

Garuda flapped its wings and lifted off into the air, sweeping low across the field and smashing into the Swordsman! It crumbled and vanished. Garuda flew back and touched down on Howa's side of the field. She brushed her hair out of her face and smiled. The score was now: Joey: 1300, Howa: 200. 

Joey could feel sweat trickle slowly down his cheek. He didn't have such a great lead anymore and next turn that Garuda would destroy his only defense. It was all up to the heart of the cards now! He drew his card, keeping it face-down for a moment then, with a deep breath, flipped it up and looked at it (Swamp Battleguard). He let out a cheer of joy, "This is it! I sacrifice my Tiger Axe for Swamp Battleguard (1800/1500)!" the large, green ogre replaced the Tiger Axe that was shielding itself with its axe, brandished its club menacingly, "Swamp Battleguard, attack Garuda the Wind Spirit, and knock out the rest of Howa's life points!" The big oaf of a creature threw its club forward, and it smashed into Garuda, destroying it. There were several beeps and clicks from Howa's Duel Disk 2, then her life points dropped to zero and the holographic image of the Swap Battleguard disappeared. 

The ecstatic adolescent pumped his fists into the air, "YESSS!!! I WON! I'M GOIN' TA THE FINALS!" He rushed over to his friends, hoping for some happy words. 

"You did it! You did it!!" Yugi cheered, hugging his best friend around the middle.

"That was awesome!" Tea said, clapping her hands together.

"Way to go, man," Tristan said, giving a curt nod, trying not to lose his composure.

Joey pried off Yugi's too-tight grip and smiled at the group of them. "Thanks guys," he said. Then his gaze fell on Mai and their eyes locked for the second time after he'd won a duel. This time she didn't wink, but just gave him a small smile. As innocent as this seemed, he felt himself blush just the same. What was it about her that made him so uneasy? When she wasn't acting like her usual stuck-up self, she was actually kind of…nice. He returned her smile, and then turned back towards the field.

Howa was standing in shock, her eyes staring off into space. She'd failed…just like Fuego had. It didn't seem possible, and yet there it was. She lowered her eyes to her DD2. It had shut itself off after her LP had dropped to zero. Angry at herself, she reached in her cloak, gripped the tiny gold chain and pulled hard. The chain yanked free and hung loose in her hand.

"Wheeler!" she cried, "Three items – just like we agreed. Take them!!" She flung the chain towards him! He jumped up to catch them and missed as she made her exit, leaping up onto an overhang of the nearest store and then climbing up to the roof. "But be warned," she called out at she climbed, and her voice echoed through the streets, "My Master will avenge my defeat!"

"Well, that was weird…" Joey muttered.

"Yeah… people who work for psychos' usually are," Tristan said, now standing next to Joey.

Yugi picked up the gold chain with the three items, "Here Joey, you won these! And thanks…for sticking up for me. But next time, let me duel, please!? I need to get my last two items to be with you in the finals!"

Joey put a hand behind his head, embarrassedly, "Yeah, alright! It'll be good to just kick back and relax. Watch the master work, ya know?"

Yugi grinned, the color rising in his cheeks, but he recovered quickly, "Ok! Let's go find my next duel!" With that, the younger boy took off without waiting for the others. His friends began to run after him, with Joey still finding time to brag to Mai about getting all of his items before she did.

Meanwhile, up on the roof, Howa watched as they left, disgusted with herself and them. They had just defeated an eliminator of the almighty Lord Jetsu (one of the most feared Duelists of the Middle East) and thought so little of it. And she had lost to the second best, not the best, duelist of their group. She shook her head angrily and turned to leave. But she ran smack into someone who had been standing right behind her, and she fell down.

"What the-?" she said, picking herself up. Shielding her eyes from the bright afternoon sun, she gazed up at the figure she had run into. He was dressed in a golden cloak, which bore the symbol of the Millennium Shield emblem. His hair was long and golden-blonde, tied back with a black ribbon. His skin was tan, and his narrowed eyes were the same color as the sandstone that made up the buildings of the city. "Blitz!" she cried, "What are you doing here?"

He glared down at her, "I was watching you and Fuego. You failed, sister. You always bragged about your superiority to us, but you failed. Just lie Fuego, you failed, and have now left your fate on others shoulders." He folded his arms over his chest, not lending his hand to help her up. Both of his siblings were now sentenced to death unless he succeeded where they had not! It was up to him to save the entire trio! The youngest of the three trained Eliminators now had to save his older two siblings. Not much pressure, especially after seeing the last two duels. Yeah right.

Howa got to her feet, frowning. "If Fuego and I couldn't defeat them, what makes you think you can?" she demanded, "These children aren't playing games, Blitz! They've defeated everyone who's come across them – even Ambrosius. What makes you so much better than the rest of us?"

"I'm not blinded by pride! I don't intend to work alone," He turned and began to walk off, the bottom of his cloak flowing in the winds, "I'm going to the master. With his help, I will defeat the boy with the Puzzle…"

Howa followed after him, sulking. Would the master really agree to aid Blitz in his task?? If he did it would certainly be a duel worth seeing.


	17. Chapter 17 The Seventh Duel: Machinehead

Author's Note: We would like to apologize in advance for the length of this duel. There's not much else to say about that.

* * *

Chapter 17

"The Seventh Duel: Machinehead"

"Boy, what a thrill," Joey said, twirling his now full chain of mini-items between his fingers, admiring how they glittered in the sun, "The second one out of all of us to be qualified for the finals!"

"Yeah…how'd _that _happen?" Mai asked, brushing a few loose strands of dirty-blonde hair out of her face. 

"It must've been my superior skills!" Joey said proudly.

"More like luck," Mai said.

"I don't see you with seven items yet!" he growled, turning on her. 

"I'll get them! Just you wait!" she said, stomping her foot down indignantly, "Then it'll be my pleasure to kick you right _out_ of the finals!"

"We'll see how eliminates who!" he shot back. Angry sparks of lightning flashed between their eyes.

"Hey! Whoa!" Yugi said, stepping in between them, and pushing them apart, "Chill out! Please, let's just concentrate on finding Kaiba, okay?"

"Fine," Joey said, sticking his nose in the air.

"Sure, kid," Mai said, "And after that, I've got to find _me_ a duel."

"Yeah," Joey said snidely, "Wouldn't wanna fall behind, would we?"

"If you don't shut your mouth, Wheeler – so help me…" Mai said, wheeling on him once more.

"You'll _what_?!" Joey demanded.

As Yugi moved to break it up once more, a loud, obnoxious laughter broke through the tension on the scene. The group turned to see none other than Bandit Keith leaning against the wall of a building across the street from them. He still sported his signature sunglasses and American Flag bandana (A/N: which is an incredible insult to all Americans, I might add.), but he too was clad in a cloak, colored light brown.

"Keith???" Yugi exclaimed, "What are _you_ doing here?" 

"We haven't seen you since the fire in the warehouse back in Domino," Tristan said. 

Whatever had happened to Keith since his 'adventure' being Malik's mind-slave, it seemed his was back to his old self, and he stood up, saying, "What do you think I'm doing here, dorks?" he said, "I'm gonna rebuild my reputation, of course. The name Bandit Keith will strike fear into the hearts of duelists again – make no mistake about that."

"For someone who's been out of the loop for as long as you have," Mai said, "you certainly seem sure of yourself."

"Huh," Keith scoffed, "While you were playing games in Battle City, I was perfecting my skills! I'd wager just about anything that I could knock you out of this tournament!"

Mai's eyes sparked with excitement, "Is that a challenge??"

"You bet it is, Valentine," he said.

"Alright then – I accept," she said, "I'll wager two items on the outcome of this duel – seeing as that's all I need in order to qualify for the finals."

"Fine, two. That put us on equal terms once I beat you. Let's duel!" The machine duelist drew his first five cards (Machine king, Mechanical Chaser, Blast Sphere, Restructor Revolution, and The Emperor's Holiday) and waited for Valentine to finish drawing hers. This was his chance. A chance to get back in the lime light as the number #1 duelist, now that Kaiba was all washed up, "You can start this duel if you want, little girl. It really doesn't matter. My machines are going to wipe the floor with your stupid Harpie's!"

"Who're you calling a 'little girl'?!!" Mai said, glancing down at her first five cards (Gemini Elf, Swords of Revealing Light, Spirit of the Books, Rose Whip, and Harpie Lady). _Not a bad hand,_ she thought to herself, _If things keep going like this, it won't be long before I shut him up. _ She reached to draw the card for her turn (Cyber Shield). "For my first move, I'll play Harpie Lady (1300/1400) in attack mode, equipping her with the Cyber Shield and Rose Whip cards, bringing her stats up to 2100/1400!" she said, sliding the cards into play. The blue-skinned Harpie appeared on the field, clad in gold armor and clutching a thorny whip in one hand. "Not bad for a first move, eh Keith?" Mai said confidently.

"Not bad, but not good enough," Keith pulled out his next card from his shiny, brand-new looking Duel Disk 2 (Attack and Receive). The machine duelist had just purchased the fine instrument of dueling for this tournament, as he had been slightly too confused to enter Battle City, but now he was cool and confident again, raring to take on the dueling world, "I'll lay two cards face-down (Attack and Receive and The Emperor's Holiday) and play Mechanical Chaser (1850/800) in attack mode!" The machine card appeared on the field, its small yellow body revealing a single eye and four appendages: two long, skinny legs, and two tiny arms (one of which held a spear), "Lastly, I'll play the magic card, Restructor Revolution!" 

"Restructor Revolution??" Mai echoed, "Never heard of it – what's it do?"

"Well," Keith said, grinning, "It takes away 200 of your LP for every card you've got in you're hand!"

"What??" Mai said, and watched in dismay as her LP dropped 600 points.

"And I suppose that makes it your turn," Keith said smugly. The score was now: Keith: 4000, Mai: 3400.

"Wow, that sure happened fast," Tea said from the sidelines. 

"I guess you'll have to wait to find Kaiba," Tsuki said to Yugi.

"Yeah," he nodded, "But it's okay. There's still plenty of time and besides – this is interesting!"

"Interesting would _definitely_ be the word," Tristan said.

Joey said nothing. He just folded his folded his arms across his chest and turned away, scowling sullenly. 

Mai drew her next card (Mirror Wall) and said, "I'll play Gemini Elf (1900/900) in attack mode, and use Harpie Lady to attack your Mechanical Chaser! Not too smart of you, leaving it in attack mode, Keith!"

"No, it was just right. I told you I've been perfecting my skills and I'll prove it!" He clicked a button on his Duel Disk 2, grinning sinisterly, "I activate one of my face-down cards: The Emperor's Holiday! While I was away I picked up some new cards, and this one is just perfect for beating you Valentine! It makes all equip cards useless and that'll lower Harpie's attack power down to 1300, weaker than Mechanical Chaser!" A heavy-set man with a crown and flowing cape appeared out of one of the face-down cards. He raised his scepter, and the whip and gold armor on the Harpie Lady disappeared. Surprised, the blue-skinned winged-beast couldn't break off her attack. The Mechanical Chaser thrust its spear forward and it went right through the beautiful creature. Small trickles of blue blood oozed out where the spear had drilled through it, and it gave Mai a weak smile before shattering into a 1000 pieces. Keith just smirked cockily.

The score was now: Keith: 4000 - Mai: 2850. 

Mai was nearly in tears. Her poor, beautiful Harpie…being speared like a wild animal…it was just wrong. "Gemini Elf…" she said, "Avenge the fallen Harpie Lady! Destroy that Mechanical Chaser!!"

The twin elves raced forward, striking the machine monster twice, shattering it. Keith shrugged, "Alright then – I'll activate _another_ trap, the Attack and Receive card!" A card with the image of two fighting Roman Soldiers appeared as Keith explained, "It inflicts 700 points of damage directly to your LP when I lose points because of an attack. Pretty nice, eh? I guess I'm in a sharing-mood." The score adjusted appropriately, expanding Keith's lead: Keith: 3950 - Mai: 2150.

"Uh oh," Tsuki said, "That guy's pretty good."

"Yeah," Yugi nodded, "And Mai will have to watch out – Keith's a notorious cheater."

"You'd think he'd have learned his lesson after Duelist's Kingdom," Tea said.

"People like that _never _learn," Tristan said, shaking his head, "One an ass, _always _an ass."

Joey still said nothing, but he cast a glance over at Mai. He could see a bead of sweat trickle down her face but he couldn't be sure if it was from the heat or the pressure. The thought of sweat caused an image of a steamy car window to flash across his mind, but he quickly shook it away. Where had _that_ come from?? He turned his eyes away, not wanting to risk evoking any more hormone-induced thoughts. What had gotten into him lately anyway??

Back on the field, Mai put her hands on her hips, trying not to look too intimidated. "You certainly have improved, Keith," she said, "I'll play one final card face down (Mirror Wall). And that makes it your turn."

"Glad you can see the futility in your struggle here. I'd ask you to surrender, but I think it will be more fun to wipe the sand with your pretty little face," Keith pulled out his next card (Gamma the Magnet Warrior). _One down, two to go. And if I can't draw them, there are always other methods…_ He could feel the set of three magnet warrior cards sitting in the hidden inner pocket of his cloak sleeve. He had had this one made especially for tough spots in duels, and it had certainly worked last duel. Moto and his friends could play by the rules all they wanted to, but it wouldn't take them anywhere in this tournament, "I play one card face-down (Blast Sphere (1400/1400)) and end my turn."

"Just one card face down??" Mai asked, "That's all?? I was really expecting an attack – you seemed so ready to sweep the floor with me. But if that's all you've got…" she shrugged, and picked up a card (Elegant Egotist) "Who am I to argue with fate? I play one face-down as well (Spirit of the Books (1400/800) Go, Gemini Elf! Attack his face down card!"

The twin elves rushed forward once again, overturning the face-down card, out from which emerged a small red sphere with silver spikes extruding from its surface. Before the Gemini Elf could move to strike it, the spikes extended and wrapped around the twins, binding them tightly together with the sphere itself in the center.

"What the??? What _is _that thing??" Mai asked.

Bandit Keith laughed loudly, "HA HA HA HA! You've attacked the Blast Sphere, one of my favorite machine monsters. Next turn it's going to detonate and take you stupid elves with it." He drew a card (Monster Reborn) _This'll help later… _"Now, I'll play another card face-down (Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1500/1800)) and end my turn,"

"Fine," Mai said. She drew her next card and didn't even get a chance to look at it before the Blast Sphere exploded!! Dust and smoke filled the air and everyone covered their mouths, coughing and sputtering. When the smoke cleared, the Sphere and the elves were gone. Mai heard a small beeping and glanced down at her DD2. Her LP had dropped to 250!!!!

Keith put a hand to his head innocently, "Did I forget to mention that the when the Blast Sphere detonates, it takes the trapped monster's attack points away from you LP?? My bad." His tone was guiltless enough, but the grin on his face gave him completely away.

Mai was still staring at her decimated LP, not able to take her eyes away from the DD2. It was finished…there was no way she'd ever be able to pull back when he had such a big lead… She didn't have any more choice. Slowly, she lifted a trembling hand and moved to place it over her deck.

"Man, Keith's got Mai on the ropes!" Tristan muttered. Yugi nodded slowly. The Duel Monsters champ had to admit, even to himself, that he couldn't see any way out of this for Mai.

Joey, however, noticed what Mai was doing, "HEY! CUT IT OUT MAI! You already took a card this turn! Ya can't tell me that you're surrendering to this jerk?!?!"

Mai stopped just short of touching her deck and looked over at Joey. He was surprised to see tears brimming in her eyes. "What do you want me to do?" she asked, and he could hear her voice shake, "It's not like this would knock me out of the tournament…" Keith had outsmarted her at every turn. She deserved to lose…why wouldn't Joey let Keith put her out of her misery??

"She's right, dork! And besides, she could always knock you out and get her two items back," Keith shrugged his shoulders, growing bored with the delay in his victory.

Joey went ballistic, "I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I'VE ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE FINALS OF THIS HERE TOURNAMENT!" Yugi and Tristan had to hold him back from leaping at Keith, "AND DON'T FORGET WHO BOOTED YOU OUTTA DUELIST KINGDOM, CHUMP!" 

Tristan had Joey by the arms from behind, "Easy man, just forget about it!"

Joey stopped struggling and turned to look at Mai, "You wanna give up to this loser, then fine. Go ahead, I don't care! Just throw it away why don't you? You with your preaching about how I shouldn't give up in duels like with Mako! You're nothing but a hypocrite!" The angered teen broke out of Tristan's hold and turned away from her, "But the next time yer in trouble, don't come to me, ya hear? I don't ever wanna see your face again, Valentine!" With that, Joey dashed off, tears streaming down his face. His words were probably too harsh, but they had already come out of his mouth and it wasn't like he could take them back now.

Mai was stunned silent. Had he been crying?? Then the full extent of his words sank in and she hung her head. She _was_ being a hypocrite. After all the crap she'd given him about not quitting…here she was about to do the same thing. She was ashamed of herself. 

Keith cracked his neck once or twice, then yelled over the Mai, snapping her out of her thoughts, "Forget about that loser! Are we gonna duel, or are you gonna surrender?"

Mai's head shot up, determination in her eyes. "Oh, we'll duel alright, Keith! This isn't over yet!" 

Keith lowered his sunglasses incredulously, "It might as well be, with the score you're at."

Mai said nothing, but looked down at the card she'd drawn (Harpie's Brother). It wasn't a bad card, but she couldn't risk anymore of Keith's hidden surprises. "I'll play this card in defense mode (Harpie's Brother (1800/600)), and end my turn," she said, "It's all I can do for now."

Keith shook his sleeve a bit, and Alpha the Magnet Warrior landed in his hand. _Just one more turn…_ "I play another card in defense mode (Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700))!" He looked Mai right in the eyes, trying to intimidate her, "Go ahead! Just try to attack my monsters, if you have the courage. But if you under-estimate my machine monsters, then you'll end up taking you own life points and win this duel for me!"

Mai drew her next card (Harpie Lady), wondering what Keith's angle was. She certainly didn't want him to win through a mistake of her own, so she placed the Harpie Lady (1300/1400) in defense mode and ended her turn.

Keith reached for his deck, and instead of drawing a new card, shook Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1600) from the hidden pocket in his sleeve. He looked at it, pretending to be curious as to what it was. "Well, what do you know?" he said, "The strategy I've been working on can be put into action! I'll play Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode, first. Then, I'll flip both of my defense monsters into attack mode as well." As he slid the cards into play, Alpha the Magnet Warrior and Gamma the Magnet Warrior appeared on the field. 

As everyone else glanced at each in confusion, Yugi went pale. "Uh oh…" he murmered, then yelled out, "Mai!! Watch out!! I know what he's up to!! He's planning to –"

"QUIET YOU!!" Keith barked, "I don't want any of your back-seat dueling!"

Yugi quieted dejectedly, but still looking worried.

"Besides," Keith said, "Even if she _did_ know what was coming – there's nothing she could do to stop me!"

"Stop talking about me like I'm not standing right here!" Mai cried angrily, "Just make your move!"

"Fine! I'll sacrifice all three other the magnet warriors… for the strongest monster in my entire deck, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (3500/3850)!" Instantly, all three of the smaller metal warriors disappeared in a bright flash of light. In their place stood a large, metal, yellow warrior. It had large spikes coming out of its head and two large pink wings and a shiny broad sword.

Keith grinned, he knew that this next move would shock the heck out of her, "Now I'll sacrifice it for my three warriors!" The exact opposite happened, and his three smaller monsters reappeared, sending his monster to the graveyard.

Tristan nearly laughed out loud, "What a moron! He made such a big fuss about that thing and then decided not to even use it! HA!"

Yugi was quiet, a look of concern on his face, "I'm not so sure…" 

Mai hadn't seen Yugi's face, or she might have been worried as well. Instead, she had about the same reaction as Tristan had. "What was the point of that??" she asked, "For all your bragging, you just undid what you were planning to do! Is that the end of you're turn now? Or is there more to this ridiculous show??"

Keith pulled a card from his hand and placed it face up on the field, "There's more; much more! I'll use the magic card Monster Reborn, to revive my lost Valkyrion!" The large magnet warrior reappeared next to his smaller cousins, as fierce as he was last time. Keith threw back his head and laughed triumphantly, "You all know what happens now, don't you!?! I sacrifice my three Magnet warriors for another Valkyrion (3500/3850) in attack mode!" For the second time that turn, the three metal creatures disappeared and were replaced by another ultimate magna warrior.

Mai was now staring up at two huge metal monsters, each one with more power than a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Surely there was nothing she could do now. She still had her Mirror Wall trap card down, but she couldn't afford to use it. Ever since Battle City, the ruling on the card had changed to make it less powerful. Now it cost 1000 points to play, and she had only 250 left! 

"I had a feeling that was coming…" Yugi said.

"It's hopeless now, isn't it?" Tsuki said sadly.

Tristan shoved his hands into his pockets and muttered, "Maybe she should've given up before…"

Tea didn't say anything. She was watching Mai, and she was seeing something she'd never seen in the older women's eyes before – fear. Mai was truly frightened of losing this duel. Tea couldn't help but wonder why. Could something Joey had said actually gotten to her? It certainly seemed so. All of a sudden, she was filled with some sort of compassion for the woman she had deemed 'slut'. She stepped forward and called out, "Whatever he does Mai, don't give up!"

More than a little surprised, Mai turned to look at the younger girl. "Huh?"

"For Joey's sake – if you're going to go down, at least go down fighting!" Tea told her.

Mai nodded, smiling slightly. Their gazes locked for a brief moment and a connection formed between them that possibly no one else would ever understand completely. "Right," she said, and then turned to face Keith, "Well – what're you waiting for! I know you're dying to attack me – so bring it on!"

"As you wish! Valkyrions! Attack the first two defensive cards!" Both of the two magnet warriors threw their swords in the air and hit them with decisive bolts of magnetism, which allowed them to hover in mid-air. Both of the swords directed themselves through the heart of Spirit of the Books and Harpie's Brother, both of whom appeared for but a moment, and then broke into tiny little holographic bits.

Mai watched her monsters vanish and drew her next card (Commencement Dance Ritual), and glanced at the rest of her hand. The Swords of Revealing Light! Why hadn't she thought of it before?? _Perfect, _ she thought, _Now I'll have a chance to regroup – and to use this ritual. I've never actually gotten to draw it before…_ She looked up, "Alright Keith, I'll play the Swords of Revealing Light, which keeps you from attacking me for three turns."

"So what – you're just prolonging the inevitable," Keith said, but everyone could hear the agitation in his voice, "Is that all?"

"For now," she nodded. Now all she had to do was hope that three turns would be enough time to get the card combo she needed.

Yugi breathed a sigh of relief, "That was a close call," he said.

"Do you really think Mai can come back and win this?" Tea asked.

"I'm not sure," Yugi admitted, "Maybe."

Keith selected a card from his deck (Giga-Tech Wolf). It wouldn't help now, but in a turn he could sacrifice it for another powerful card, the Machine King! "I'll just play this one card face-down (Giga-Tech Wolf (1200/1400)), and switch both of my Valkyrion's to Defense mode (3500/3850)!"

Mai held her breath as she drew her next card (Dian Keto the Cure Master). This was just what she needed. "I'll play Dian Keto the Cure Master," she said, laying the card down. A middle-aged being with curly green hair and long robe appeared on the field. In his (A/N: or her??) hands was a clear, glowing sphere. He handed it to Mai and it burst, enveloping her in light. Then her life points were raised up to 1250.

She noticed the Elegant Egotist in her hand and smiled. "Next, I'll flip Harpie Lady into attack mode and then play Elegant Egotist, bringing the Harpie Lady Sisters (1950/2100) in Defense mode to the field!" The three Harpie's appeared on the street in a rush of wind. "And that ends my turn."

The American punk grinned widely, "Good, only two turns to go…" He picked up a card (7 Completed), "HA HA! I'm sacrificing my Giga-Tech Wolf for the Machine King (2400/2400)!" He grinned as his small, robotic dog disappeared and was replaced by the king of all machines! Bandit Keith folded his arms across his chest and chuckled, "Why don't you just give up Valentine? In one more turn it'll all be over anyway!"

"We'll see," Mai said, drawing her next card (Harpie's Feather Duster), "Ha! Here Keith – have a taste of my Harpie's power: I use the Magic Card Harpie's Feather Duster to wipe out your trap card!" All of the Harpie's grew a new set of wings and shot the feathers out, raining down on Keith's side of the field, and breaking his relaxing Emperor into hundreds of tiny holographic shards.

He shrugged and sighed boredly, "So? That won't help you in the long run. Is it my turn yet?"

Mai glowered at the American, then shook her head slightly, "No, I'll switch my Harpie Lady to defense mode as well." The last of the four ladies wrapped herself in her blue wings, which were once again the only pair she owned.

Keith pulled out a card from his deck (Snatch Steal). _Perfect! Even though this card will give Mai 1000 points each turn that I control one of her monsters, I have more than enough fire power to make up for the difference!_ "I'll equip my Machine King with the magic card 7 Completed, raising his attack power to 3100! Thanks for getting rid of my trap, it was holding me back as well! Guess that I'll just end my turn here, getting rid of your pathetic Swords!" The Swords of Revealing Light faded away around his monsters, which righted themselves slightly.

Mai's hand shook slightly as she reached to draw her next card. If it wasn't the one she needed, her stalling would've been for nothing. She held her breath…and drew Pot of Greed. A genuine smile spread across her face. "I'm playing Pot of Greed, Keith," she said, "which lets me draw two new cards."

"Whatever," Keith said, waving a hand nonchalantly.

Mai's next two cards were exactly what she needed: Performance of Sword and Monster Reborn. "Now it's my turn to give you a show, Keith. I'll activate my Commencement Dance Ritual, sacrificing the Harpie Lady Sisters and the Harpie Lady herself for the Performance of Sword (1950/1850)!" She laid the cards down and the most amazing holographic spectacle the gang had ever seen began.

A tan-skinned, red-haired woman in Arabian garb appeared on the field in a puff of purple smoke. As soon as her feet hit the dusty ground, snake-charmer music began drifting out of Mai's DD2, and the woman began a very graceful (yet provocative) dance. 

Tristan quickly stuffed tissues in his nose to stop the bleeding, and then moved to cover Yugi's eyes, which were as wide as dinner plates. Both boys were very red. Tea frowned, a sweatdrop forming on her head. 

The woman danced her way over to all four Harpie Ladies, blowing purple smoke at them. The smoke engulfed the four creatures and then the woman herself stepped inside. When the smoke cleared, a new woman stood where there had once been many others. She had on the same Arabian garb as the dancer had, but had pale skin, and her bare arms were more toned. Her hair was a faded magenta, and in each hand, she held sharp swords.

Keith was unimpressed, "That's it? You made me wait for this weakling?"

Mai folded her arms, almost pouting, "You shouldn't underestimate any of my monsters, Keith. Now I'll use Monster Reborn to take back my Harpie Lady Sisters! I end my turn!

"Yeah and pretty soon I'll end the game!!" He grabbed his card (DNA Surgery), and grinned, "I'll play one card face-down, then a magic card: Snatch Steal!" A man in blue-green garb and a yellow helmet rushed out of the card and became a blur rushing around Mia's Harpie's Sisters. As if on command, the three picked up the man and flew over to Keith's side of the field, then settled down again. The older man grinned as he watched Mai's expression.

She frowned. It didn't matter just yet. As long as she could afford her Mirror Wall, she'd be alright. But that would only last for one turn. What then? 

"Even though you'll gain 1000 points per turn as long as I control your monster, this gives me more than enough fire power to decimate you!" Keith moved his Valkyrion's slightly and both switched into attack mode, "Now, Valkyrion, attack her Performance of Sword! Finish this match!" The magna warrior took flight, its sword raised. 

Mai smiled, and pressed a button on her Duel Disk 2. Her Mirror Wall flipped face-up.

Keith gasped surprised, "WHAT?!?!? NO!!!" His monster thrust its blade forward and a mirror reflection of itself appeared in front of the ritual creature. Both broke away and the American's monster fell to its knees back next to the rest of Keith's monsters, its attack points cut in half (1750/3850).

Mai clenched her fists triumphantly, "Now it's my turn, and since your Snatch Steal raises my LP by 1000, I can still pay to keep my Mirror Wall!" She drew her card (Magician of Faith (300/400)), "I'll play this monster in face-down defense mode, and attack your weakened Valkyrion with my Performance of Sword!"

Performance of Sword rushed forward. Valkyrion raised its sword to defend itself, but the woman cut through it with her first sword. Then she raised her second sword and sliced off the magna warrior's head. The head bounced and rolled to a stop at Keith's feet before disintegrating. The score changed slightly: Keith: 3750 – Mai: 1250.

Rage filled the adult American, "How dare you insult my machines like that?!" he spat, eyes flashing dangerously. _I've locked myself in! As long as I have control of her Harpie Lady Sisters, she can pay for that Mirror Wall, which makes my monsters unable to attack! Damn it!_ He picked up his next card violently (Machine Conversion Factory), "Excellent! First off, I activate my trap: DNA Surgery. This will change all of the monsters on the field into machines, raising my Machine King's attack power to 3400!" Keith grinned as the three alien doctors appeared on the field and began to violently work on the monsters of the field, changing them all to the type that he had designated. This had very little effect on his Valkyrion (because rock and machine are so similar in Duel Monsters) but there was a tremendous amount going on with the winged-beasts of the game. 

All of Mia's monsters looked like they had been Robotisized (A/N: Like in the "Sonic" cartoon, remember??) Keith grinned at the horrified look on his opponent's face. "Then I'll equip him with Machine conversion factory to further increase his power (3700/2300)! Lastly, I'll switch my remaining Valkyrion into defense mode." 

"Whoa…that's freaky," Tristan said.

"I wonder how Keith plans to get past the mirror wall…" murmured Yugi, "Even with its attack increased, it won't break through the trap."

"I guess we'll find out," Tea said.

"My turn again," Mai said, "And I'll flip up my down monster, the Magician of Faith. A metalisized version of Tea's favorite card stood up, now emotionless and stiff. Machine King's power rose again, now to 3800. "And even though it raises Machine King's power, it allows me to take back a magic card from my graveyard!" 

Mai placed her reclaimed Monster Reborn on the field, "I'm going to use this again to take back your lost Valkyrion (3500/3850)!" The magna warrior locked itself in attack position, ready to strike at her command, "That'll end my turn, Keith! The outcome of this match isn't so certain anymore, now is it? I now control one of your ultimate monsters, and one of the most powerful monsters ever to exist in Duel Monsters!"

"Wow!" Tea said, "That was awesome!"

"It was a smart move," Yugi said, "But I'm afraid it won't be enough…"

Keith growled softly, then shook it off, "So? When you summoned that monster, you increased my Machine King's attack power to 3900! That's more than enough to take care of my own prized monster!" He drew a card (Launcher Spider) and sighed. No good. He needed to undo his own mistake or risk letting Mai get more chances to steal this game back. The machine master knew that she had cards other than Mirror Wall that could defeat him, "Your turn," Keith told Mai curtly, staring intently at the field (so as to avoid any human contact).

Mai drew her next card (Shadow of Eyes). A lot of good that did her – Keith didn't have any face-down defense-mode monsters on the field. But it was fine with her. As long as Keith kept control of her Harpie Lady Sisters, she'd be able to pay for Mirror Wall. He'd locked himself in and had no way to get out. All she had to do was wait until she found a way to attack. "I'll lay this face down (Shadow of Eyes) and end my turn," she said.

Keith picked up his card (Curse of Fiend) and cursed softly, "I'll play a card face-down as well (Curse of Fiend)."

Mai sighed, aggravated. This duel was going nowhere now. Keith wasn't dumb enough to attack as long as her Wall was up, and she didn't have a monster strong enough to beat his monsters. Actually, she could destroy her own Harpie Lady Sisters, but that would just get rid of the Snatch Steal card, and she'd no longer be able to pay for her Mirror Wall. She drew her next card (Mirror Force). This wasn't needed now – because Keith would never attack as long as the Wall was standing, but it might come in handy later. So she just held it in her hand and declared her turn over.

Tristan looked over at Yugi with line-dot eyes, "Is it just me, or has this become 'The Duel That Wouldn't End'?"

Yugi nodded, a sweatdrop forming on his head, "Yeah…I certainly hope either Mai or Keith has a way to get past the stalemate."

Keith drew (Pendulum Machine), "Perfect! I'll tribute my Harpie Lady Sisters for a monster in defense mode (Pendulum Machine (1750/2000)). Not only does that destroy one of your most powerful monsters, but more importantly it destroys my Snatch Steal! You can pay 1000 this turn, but not next, and then you're finished!" Finally, the duel would be over. He couldn't believe that she'd been able to hang on this long, but now she was living on borrowed time behind a temporary shield.

Mai gasped slightly. It was true. After this turn, she couldn't afford the wall anymore (she was back to only 250 LP) – but maybe it was just as well. She still had her Mirror Force. Maybe that would prove useful. She drew her next card (Heavy Storm). She broke into a wide grin as a plan began forming in her head. "I'll play Heavy Storm, destroying all Magic and Trap cards on the field!"

As soon as she laid the card down, dark clouds rumbled overhead. Winds swirled around them, and rain pelted down. A bolt of lighting struck the ground between the two duelists and all the magic/trap cards were sent to the graveyard.

Mai brushed her dripping hair out of her face and said, "Now that your Machine King is only at 3200, that makes him fair game for my Valkyrion! Go, attack!"

Valkyrion flew forward, striking down Machine King with one swift stroke of his blade. Keith's LP dropped to 3450.

On the sidelines, Tea moaned, "I'm soaked…"

"Whatever happened to this being just a hologram?" Tristan asked irritable, shaking his head like a dog, and splattering the others with water.

"And lastly, I'll place this card face down (Mirror Force)," Mai said, "And that makes it your turn."

Yugi said nothing. His focus remained on the duel, his eyes on the card Mai had placed face down. _What could she be planning?_

Keith cussed loudly as he selected the top card from his Duel Disk 2, now covered in the sand and dust from the wind. That was two of his four most powerful monsters gone! He looked at the card (Seven Tools of the Bandit). It was a trap, so if she had a trap down now, he couldn't stop it! "I end my turn by playing one card face-down (Seven Tools)."

Mai frowned. Why wasn't he attacking?? As far as he knew – her only defense was gone! His remaining Valkyrion could easily destroy her Performance of Sword! What was he waiting for? And what was that card that he'd put face down? Some kind of trap to match hers? She might never know. And she couldn't risk attacking again – not just yet. She drew her card (Kanan the Swordsmistress (1400/1400)), "I'll play this card in defense-mode, switch Performance of Sword to defense, and end my turn."

Keith drew a card from his thinning deck (Guardian of the Throne Room), "I'll play a monster in Defense mode. Next, I'll change Pendulum Machine to attack mode, and use Valkyrion to attack the Valkyrion that you stole from me! It'll destroy both monsters!"

"Which activates my Mirror Force trap card –" Mai started.

"Which, in turn, activates my _own_ trap card, Seven Tools of the Bandit!" Keith cut it, "In exchange for 1000 points, it negates the effects of your trap!"

Mai watched in dismay as the Valkyrions destroyed each other, and was only consoled a little when Keith's LP dropped to 2450. Her plan had failed and he was still holding a big lead. 

"Next," Keith said, "I'll use Pendulum Machine to attack you're face-down card!" The red-colored machine swooped over and destroyed Kanan (which appeared on the field only for a split second before breaking up into a million pieces. "I believe that makes it you're turn," Keith said snidely, "Not that it really matters."

Mai sighed and drew her next card (Nobleman of Crossout). "I'll play this Magic card – the Nobleman of Crossout, destroying your face-down monster." Keith's Guardian of the Throneroom was sent directly to the Graveyard. "Next, I'll switch Performance of Sword to attack mode, and use her to put and end to your Pendulum Machine!"

Performance of Sword made quick work of Pendulum Machine and Keith's LP dropped to 2250.

No monsters on the field. No magic or trap cards on the field. One worthless card in his hand. And as he drew his card, Keith began to sweat even more (Tailor of the Fickle), "I… end my turn…"

Mai drew her next card (Red Archery Girl). "I'll play Read Archery Girl (1400/1500) in attack mode – and end this duel once and for all!"

Both of Mai's monsters rushed across the field, striking at Keith one after the other. He was thrown backwards and his LP dropped to zero. The field emptied as the DD2s deactivated themselves. It was over.

Mai breathed a sigh of relief, and then turned to smile at Yugi, Tristan and Tea, who were cheering on the sidelines.

Keith's eyes reddened with madness. Images of the past flashed through his mind. His humiliation at Duelist Kingdom, being mind-controlled by the freak that found him, missing Battle City to be in a psychiatric ward. All hell broke loose in his still unstable mind as the loss soaked into his brain.

The body reacted differently, pulling out the gold chain he had been give and pulling off two items, "Heh heh… boy, what a duel! I guess I still have some improving to do… boy did your monsters pack a wallop Valentine! Mind helping me up? So I can give you your items you won an' all…" While he held out a hand and waited for her, his other hand had slipped into his sleeve and down to his shin (all of which was covered by his cloak). He unholstered his .38 Wolfram and slipped his arm back into his sleeve, being careful not to let his hand or the gun show.

Mai shrugged and crossed the field. "So you're going to take this defeat like a man, are you?" she said, "That's certainly an improvement." She reached him in no time and willingly took hold of the hand he was offering her.

Without a word, and in a movement so fast that no one had a chance to react to it, Keith was on his feet, one arm around Mai's neck, holding her tight, while the other hand put the pistol up against her head. 


	18. Chapter 18 The Shadow Game

Chapter 18

"The Shadow Game"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!" Tristan cried, stepping forward.

"Don't move!!" Keith barked at the Japanese boy, "One more step and I'll blow her brains out!!"

Tristan growled and clenched his fists, but Yugi put a hand on his arm, "I wouldn't try it, Tristan – look at his eyes! I've never seen Keith like this before."

Tsuki whimpered and Tea hugged her close, not able to take her eyes away from the scene.

Mai, for her part, was terrified almost beyond rational thought. How could she have been so stupid?? She'd walked right into this. She deserved to get shot…she should have known Keith couldn't be trusted. She felt Keith's ragged breath on her ear and blinked back petrified tears. She couldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Yugi felt the puzzle start glowing. Yami was coming! He would know what to do!

Keith began to bark out orders, "Ok, first I want all of you to hand over you decks and the items you've collected! Then-"

There was a rush of wind behind the crazed American, causing him to look back. Joey had landed mere inches from Keith's back. Obviously, he had been watching from the rooftop of the store on Keith's side. With a quick thrust of his leg, Joey hit Bandit Keith in the back of the leg, causing him to fall to his knees. Joey grabbed the hand with the gun and wrestled it away from him, sending it bouncing several feet away. 

During the struggle, Mai was flung roughly to the ground, skidding across the dirt. She picked herself up and scrambled enough out of the way to get back on her feet. She was breathing hard and her sweating. Her palms were stinging, and she didn't doubt that they were bleeding from cuts made by her fall. But she wasn't concerned with herself at all. Joey had come to her rescue…again. 

Keith, now more furious than before, stood back up and punched Joey dead in the face, the full force of a healthy (physically, mind you) 22-year old male in the hit. The Japanese boy was sent sprawling away, nose bleeding thickly. 

Tea let out a small cry and Tsuki buried her face in the older girl's stomach, not bearing to watch.

Joey picked himself up of the street, wiping away the blood that was trickling down into his mouth. He felt a hand on his shoulder, looked up, and saw Yami gazing back at him, "Let me handle this from here." Tristan had retrieved the gun before Keith could and pointed the loaded firearm at the American. 

Yami Yugi pointed his finger at the older, taller man, "Bandit Keith! That's two times now that you've tried to hurt me and my friends! I cannot let your crimes go unpunished! For trespassing in the souls of all my friends, I challenge you to a Shadow Game!"

* * * 

All seven beings were now up on the roof where Joey had leaped off of. Joey (nose still bleeding at a nasty rate) was protectively standing in front of Mai and hadn't spoken a word to her. Tristan was six feet away from Keith, who was standing calmly in the center of the roof. Tea was standing anxiously behind Tristan, and still holding Tsuki close to her. 

Yami walked over to where Joey had been hiding, "As you can see, Keith, when Joey leapt from here, he knocked over this board of wood," The great pharaoh pointed at where a thin wooden board stretched from their rooftop to the next, "The rules of this game will be as follows. Whichever person can successfully walk across the board will be declared victor."

The madman chuckled, "Is that it? No other rules?"

Yami returned the quiet laughter, "In the case that we both walk the board successfully, you will be declared the winner. If I lose to you Keith, not only will I likely have several broken bones from the fall into the garbage dumpster down there (filled with glass shards from the glass work shop below us), but my life will be yours to take. However, if you lose then you will play a Penalty Game!" he turned to look directly at Tsuki. He would have liked her to help him with the magical part of this game, but he didn't want to embarrass her. The ruler looked right at Bandit Keith, his Millennium Puzzle glowing brightly, "Game start!"

Bandit Keith snorted, "Fine. You first."

Undaunted, the soul of the Puzzle took one step onto the board. Only one who was pure of soul and mind would be able to cross the board. He had used his Millennium Puzzle to change the vision of Keith and him, so when he took that first step onto the board it widened to take up the entire space between roofs. His eyes glazed over as this new view took over and began to walk easily across the board.

Keith, seizing the moment, rushed forward to the board, "HA HA HA HA! He said anything else goes, so in an instant I'll win this game without having to walk an inch on that stupid piece of wood!" 

"Hey! What do you think you're doin'?" Tristan demanded, his grip tightening on the gun he was still holding.

Keith didn't answer, he just picked up a stray rock and smashed the end of the wood, breaking off a small piece and causing it to fall off of their end.

"YAMI!!" Tea cried. Beside her, Tsuki's backpack began glowing. In an instant, it was Dedi who stood in her place. Tea stepped back, startled, as Dedi sprinted forward, crying her husband's name.

Suddenly (as the board was falling outside) the view changed. Now Yami had to climb a set of stairs to complete his journey. Time slowed for him (whom was both pure of soul and mind) and he finished his way across. 

Dedi stopped just short of the ledge of the roof, watching in slight amazement. Yami never ceased to amaze her. His magic wasn't nearly what it had been all those eons ago, but it was certainly still a force to be reckoned with.

Yami's eyes refocused and he stared across at Keith, but not before noticing that this end of the board had snagged on an outstretched pole that held several wires. He adjusted the board so that both ends were once again touching the ledges off the roofs (just barely now).

Bandit Keith couldn't believe his eyes. How had that little brat managed to walk up the board without falling off? It was impossible! His thoughts were interrupted by 'Yugi's' voice from the other side, "It's your turn Keith! Can you accomplish what was so simple for me? If you do, my fate will rest in your hands. If not, yours is in mine. Forfeit will also result in a loss for you, so choose carefully!"

Keith cursed loudly, "Dammit! Anything that you can do will be a cinch for me!" He boldly walked over to the skinny board of wood and placed one foot on it. As if on cue, his one eye went black and unable to see, while the other had blurred vision. The board began to wobble and shake. Keith let out a yell of surprise.

Yami watched intently, thinking to himself. _ Keith! Your soulless body cuts your vision in half for this game and your unstable mind makes your task all the more impossible. Will you step down and surrender, or will you fall to your death in the attempt?_

Keith couldn't bring himself to take another step. This must be a trick of some sort! He took his foot off and fell backwards, shocked to see that the board looked normal once again.

Yami walked back across the board, as easily as it had been the first time. Standing over the loser of his first Shadow Game in a long time, Yami delivered his punishment, "Bandit Keith, as the loser of this game you must play a penalty game! Surrender all of your items to Mai, or your mind will be banished to the Shadow Realm!"

Keith stood up and began to back away nervously, "What do you mean? You're crazy!"

Tristan, to help back up Yugi's threat, let loose a shot that rang out and echoed off of the nearest buildings. The bullet went straight up into the air and disappeared from view. The teen looked shocked at his own daring.

Keith got the message, "Alright already! I'm goin'!" He threw off his golden chain and it (with all three items still attached) landed at Mai's feet. With that he leaped off of the roof as Joey had done and took off, getting lost in the crowded market place.

Joey (now with a red streak of blood that marked the front of his face) watched him leave, calling out to the American, "And don't come back now, ya hear!"

"Yami!" Dedi breathed, embracing him tightly, "That was wonderful!"

Yami blushed deeply, patting her awkwardly. "Darling, perhaps we should let the hosts take control again?"

She nodded and the two of them faded away, leaving Yugi standing there, locked in Tsuki's tight hug.

Tea wiped the sweat off her brow and glanced over at Tristan. He was staring at the gun, his hands shaking. "Hey," she said, putting a hand on his arm, "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah…" he said, unconvincingly, "I'm fine."

"That was really brave you know," she said.

Tristan felt himself go scarlet, "Really? No…not as brave as Yami was…"

"Maybe not – but it was a different kind of bravery," she insisted, tightening her grip on his arm, "I was impressed."

"…Yeah?" he asked. 

As an answer, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him quickly on the cheek. Wide-eyed and not knowing at all what to do next, he just grinned sheepishly at her. She smiled, "Yeah. Now how 'bout we get off this roof?"

Before Tristan could answer, Yugi and Tsuki came up beside them. "I'm all for that," Yugi said, "Besides, I think Joey and Mai need a little time alone…"

"Right…" Tristan said, and the four of them headed into the building down the stairs.

Even after they were gone Joey didn't turn his gaze away from the street below. Mai bent down to pick up the items and hooked them to her chain gingerly. She looked down at her hands, and was relieved to see the bleeding wasn't that bad. But she should've been thankful that scratch-up hands were all she'd gotten out of the ordeal. She could've been much worse off if it hadn't been for Joey. She'd probably be dead.

"Joey…" she said at last, turning towards him. 

He said nothing, and kept his back to her.

"I owe you a big apology…" she said softly, "That's twice you've saved my life now…and I've been nothing but a bitch this whole time…" 

Joey turned slightly, and was surprised to see small tears welling in her eyes. She was twisting her cloak in her hands, and a red stain was starting to spread on the cloth. "Don't do that!" he said, taking hold of her hands and pulling them away from the cloak, "You'll just make it worse."

"Sorry…" she said quickly, and then their eyes locked. After a moment, she added, "…for everything."

He dropped her hands, surprised at his own daring, "Forget it. It was nothing…" Joey sniffed, just now realizing that his face under his nose was glossy and damp as fresh trickles of red blood dripped out of his nose, from where Keith had probably cracked it. He sniffled slightly; there was nothing he could do without looking like a total moron to clean it.

"Oh, you're a mess. Let me help you with that," she said, pulling her sleeve over her hand and reaching to wipe away some of the blood. When he backed away slightly, she said, "It's fine – this thing's dirty beyond help anyway." She cleaned off his face as best she could, trying to be careful not to hurt him.

He waited patiently for her to finish then sniffed again, "Uh… thanks." It was at this time that he noticed the others had left, "Hey, where'd everybody go?"

She glanced around as well, "I dunno…I guess they headed back down already." The wind swirled around them and she pulled her hair over her shoulder, stroking it absent-mindedly, her hands now numb beyond the stinging. "It's just…you and me…" She felt the slightest bit of color rise in her cheeks and she turned her eyes to the floor, wanting to kick herself, and hoping he hadn't noticed.

_ Alone…which dream was this? _ "Yup…" Joey sat down on the ledge of the roof, where he had watched the duel scant minutes before.

"Guess so," she said, sitting down beside him, enjoying the warm breeze on her face.

There was a long moment of silence, neither one of them daring to look at the other. Then Mai took a deep breath and said, "I…I want to thank you, Joey…You didn't have to do what you did…"

"Yeah, I know. I thought I had the guts to make good on my threat, but I guess I'm just a sucker for a damsel in distress, ya know?" Joey knew that that sounded sexist and patiently waited to get smacked upside the head and probably tumbling off of the ledge one story to the ground.

But Mai only said, "I'm not used to being the 'damsel in distress'. But being rescued every once in a while isn't so bad." She laid a hand down on what she'd thought would be the ledge, but instead it came down on Joey's hand. She didn't move it away, though she felt a small shiver run up her arm. "I'm glad you came back…"

Joey was slightly surprised at her touch and moaned inwardly. He really was a coward after all. He could dream all he wanted, but he was too scared to actually do anything. This was the reason that the toughest teen in Domino High had never even been on a date, "Your welcome. And thanks for not giving up. I watched the rest of your duel ya know." He lifted his other hand and pointed to a corner. It seemed to be several stairs going down to nowhere, because what would have been the door was sealed up tight, "From right over there. No one could see me. Or maybe no one bothered ta notice…"

"I wish I had noticed," Mai said, "Then maybe I could've won a little sooner." She grinned at him, but inside she was a wreck. _What am I doing? Why am I hesitating? I've never been so nervous around a man before…god, I don't want to hurt him. Maybe that's why I'm so reluctant to let this go any further…_

"Heh heh… If you had won any sooner, I don't know if I would have had the courage to jump down and save you. I was working up to just the jumping down part, but I guess it was the adrenaline that took over when that creep pulled a gun…" Joey, as a typical guy, did not see past the thin veil that Mai had to mask herself. _I wish I could be as relaxed as she is… I don't think I'll ever be at a point where I can hang out with a member of the opposite sex and be so calm…_

"My hero…" Mai said quietly, and then leaned forward quickly, pressing her lips to his. Joey's eyes nearly bugged out of his head, he was so shocked. Both of their minds were racing at the same time.

_ Oh my LORD!! _ Joey thought, _There's no way this is really happening…I'm gonna wake up any minute now…right? _But even in his dreams it had never been this good.

_ What have I done? _ Mai thought, _Is he really ready for this…does he have any idea what he's getting into, getting involved with me? You know, I don't think I've ever kissed a younger man before…is this his first??_

She broke away from him after a minute. "Sorry!" she said hurriedly, "I shouldn't have done that."

The taste of her still fresh on his lips and his hormones practically taking him over, Joey leaned forward to kiss her again. She put a hand up to stop him, "Wait…" she said, glancing down at the street below them, "Where did you say you couldn't be seen?"

* * *

"They sure have been up there a long time," Yugi mused as he, Tristan, Tea and Tsuki sat under the shade of a café canopy, waiting for Mai and Joey.

Tristan checked his watch, "It's only been ten minutes. Five more and then I'll go and break up whatever their doing."

Tea flushed, her mind leaping immediately to the worst of things that Joey and Mai could be doing. And with Mai, she wouldn't be surprised. All this time, she'd seen new sides of Mai, and she'd even learned to tolerate the older woman, but it didn't mean she trusted her anymore than before. She cast a wary glance at the roof, where the two were no longer visible, and her cheeks burned as her mind conjured a vivid image of just what Tristan might have to break up.

She turned her head away quickly, wishing she could pound the image out of her brain without calling attention to herself. As substitute, she put her head in her hands and tried to look calm and even a little bored. She felt eyes on her and caught Tristan staring. 

The brown-haired boy turned away hurriedly at being caught, and Tea knew he must have been picturing the same thing she had…but with a different couple. Was he really fantasizing about that after one kiss on the cheek?? What had she done it for anyway, if not to turn his horny-teenage brain to thoughts like that?

She'd just been trying the comfort him…right? She licked her lips absentmindedly; his skin had been soft under them, with just a hint of that beard he insisted was coming in. She smiled to herself – it hadn't been that bad. Maybe someday he'd work up the nerve to kiss her back. 

Across the café table, Yugi cast a nervous glance at Tsuki. She was sipping from the water bottle she kept in her backpack, and little beads of sweat marked her face. He could understand that – it was sweltering, evening the shade. He wiped his own perspiring face with the sleeve of his cloak, and wondered if Tsuki had grown so fond of him because of the attachment her spirit had to his.

Then he wondered if it was destined to be mutual. He admitted that Tsuki was cute, but she was three years younger than he was. Was he allowed to like someone that young? Tristan had said she'd start "developing" in a few years, and judging by what the spirit of the scale looked like, little Tsuki would be developing quite a bit. Surprised at his semi-perverted thoughts, Yugi turned away, blushing. 

Tsuki noticed and suppressed a giggle. Yugi was so cute, so shy. She couldn't quite remember why she'd been hugging him before – she'd kind of blacked out. It was a little like a dream, but she was sure he'd done something very brave to make the man with the gun go away. 

Silently, she wondered why no one ever said anything about her dizzy spells. She'd had them ever since she'd come to have the Scale. She remembered that when Yugi had been dueling yesterday, he seemed like another person. There had been some talk of his Puzzle. She wondered briefly if, when she passed out, she became a different person. Like Yugi did. She wanted to ask him, but didn't know how she could bring it up. So she resolved to store the question in the back of her mind and wait for a better time.

It was then that they heard voices calling them. They each turned and saw Mai and Joey emerging from the doorway of the building across the street, on whose roof they'd been. Joey's bloody nose had subsided and there was only a bit of dried blood left on his face. He was grinning like his usual self. Mai was smiling too, but a more subdued, satisfied smile. 

"Did you all miss us?" she asked casually as the pair reached the table.

"Took you long enough," Tristan snapped, "What do you think you were doin' up there??"

Joey blushed, and Mai shrugged. "We had a lot to talk about," she said.

"Talk…right…" Tea said skeptically.

"That's right," Mai said, "Now, I don't know about the rest of you – but I'm all for heading back to the hotel. Even I don't need this much sun."

"Fine with me," Tsuki said, standing up.

The other three followed suit and Yugi said glumly, "I'd really been hoping to find Kaiba before the day was over."

"We don't have to call it quits entirely," Mai said, "I'm sure he'll be out and about in amidst Al Karnak's swingin' nightlife after dinner."

Yugi nodded, "A night duel wouldn't be so bad," he agreed, "At least it won't be so hot."

They all agreed and headed out through the streets back to their hotel. Tristan hung back and pulled Joey back with him, whispering, "So…?"

"So what?" Joey asked, blushing even more.

"What happened…?" Tristan pried.

"Nothin'…" Joey answered unconvincingly.

"How much nothin'?" Tristan said slyly.

"A whole lotta nothin'…" Joey muttered, pressing his forefingers together timidly.

"Yeah?" Tristan said, intrigued, "How far'd you get?"

"Not so loud!" Joey hissed, "I'll tell ya later, okay?"

Tristan nodded, and slipped his hands into his pockets, content with that for now. He'd drag all the juicy details out of his best friend later.

Further along, Mai could feel Tea's disapproving glare as if it were an extra sun beating down on her. But she didn't really care. Let the younger girl think what she wanted to – she wouldn't get a word out of Mai. She smiled slightly. It had only been kissing – as if she would've sunk so low as to do anything more out in the open. But it was fun to watch Tea's visible mix of emotions: condemnation, jealousy, and a number of others.

Her thoughts shifted from Tea completely and floated back to the roof. Only kissing – but _what_ kissing! There was something about an inexperienced man than made it all the more enjoyable. He had been clumsy at first, not sure where to put his hands or how long to wait before breathing. But she'd eased him into it, starting simply and only giving him a bit of tongue right before declaring it time to rejoin the group.

She shook her head. She'd used the tactics before, to leave men hungry for more. But something was different about this time. This time she was the one that hadn't wanted it to end. Something about Joey just felt right to her. She couldn't explain it, no matter how hard she tried. For the moment though, she was happy to not worry about it. 


	19. Chapter 19 Prelude to the Eighth Duel

Chapter 19

"Prelude to the Eighth Duel"

Blitz walked into the tournament pyramid, his sister following sullenly behind him. Standing squarely in the middle of the dark lobby, his voice rang out, bouncing off of the walls, "Vitani!"

Howa looked up, surprise and a hint of fear evident in her eyes, "Blitz!" She said in a hushed voice, hurrying over to him, "What are you doing!?" 

Before he could answer there was the sound of a cloak sweeping on the floor, and the highest servant of Lord Jetsu was standing in front of Blitz. He smirked, "Prompt as always, I see."

She gave him a fake smile, "Welcome back to headquarters, both of you. Fuego arrived before you, but had nothing to offer my master. Mistress Terra personally assured him that the two of you wouldn't fail him as the Fire Elemental had," Her phony smile nearly dropped as she surveyed them, "And where are the fruits your ventures?"

Blitz stared coldly back at her, "I have not faced Yugi Moto or Bakura Ryou in duels yet. I wish to meet with my master at once. The situation has become slightly more complicated."

Vitani looked past him, to where Howa was shrouded in the darkness of her cloak's hood now, "And you? Surely you have something to offer the almighty Lord Jetsu?"

Blitz spoke before she could explain, "She couldn't even defeat the pharaoh's bodyguard." Howa gasped slightly, then smacked her brother upside the head in anger.

Vitani dropped her act, now visibly upset, "All three of the Elementals turn up empty-handed? Quite a disappointment, really." She moved towards Howa, but Blitz blocked her way.

"I will escort her to Master Terra myself. Report back to Lord Jetsu. Tell him that Blitz, the Lightning Elemental, shall defeat Yugi Moto and claim the Millennium Puzzle in his name by any means necessary. Just get him to promise the freedom of my siblings. He will have his magic." Blitz grabbed Howa by the arm and began to pull her quickly down the many, twisting hallways, leaving Vitani to head off in the opposite direction, back to the top of the structure. 

Howa scowled as her younger brother dragged her along. Of course the Master would agree to his plan. Blitz had always been the favorite – the Prodigal Son who'd never left. But what had become of Fuego? And what would become of her?? She probably wouldn't even get a chance to warn the Master about the strength of the Pharaoh and his loyal followers. And that could be the downfall of them all.

Soon they'd reached a large stone door. Blitz punched in the access code and it swung open. He stepped inside, yanking Howa in behind him. "Master Terra…" he said, "…Mother, I'm afraid to report that Howa has failed you."

Standing at the only window in the room, watching the sky, was Master Terra. A tall woman with brown hair that matched her cloak, Terra was an intimidating figure. She turned on them with deep green eyes, glaring coldly at the both of them. "I see…just as Fuego has failed…" she said.

"Mother!" Howa cried, breaking free of Blitz's grip and running to the older woman's side, "We underestimated the Pharaoh greatly! You have to believe me, he –" A look from Terra caused her to fall silent.

"You knew the consequences when you agreed to this assignment," Terra said, and then a brief wave of sadness passed across her face, "We all did. You will accept your fate, Howa, and hopefully with more dignity than Fuego did."

"Is Fuego…dead…?" Howa asked, going pale.

"No…not yet," Terra said. She turned to her youngest son, "It's up to us now, Blitz. We must finish what we've started."

Blitz nodded determinedly. He hadn't even needed to suggest it. The Master already had a plan formulated. He wondered briefly how close it was to his own idea. 

At that moment there were footsteps in the hallway and Vitani appeared in the doorway. "Howa…" she said, "Come with me."

Howa nodded and followed obediently. The remaining two Eliminators watched as the two women walked down the torch lit corridor, slowly getting smaller, the disappearing around a corner. 

Blitz gulped, frightened. He turned to his mother as soon as they had gone, "Mother! Why did we ever accept these terms? No reward is worth this!" He faltered, then placed his hand in his pocket, over his deck, "I… I don't think I can defeat the Pharaoh! I've only seen his minions duel and they beat Fuego and Howa with ease! But if I don't, Lord Jetsu will… he'll…" He had fallen to his knees, shaking and with a tear rolling down his cheek.

Terra looked down at her son, and her face softened. "You really care about your siblings this much, Blitz? From the way you talk, I wouldn't have thought it."

"Of course I do!" Blitz cried, "Don't you?!"

Terra didn't respond for a long moment. At last, she said, "That is why we must not fail…" 

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incident, so night fell peacefully. The gang had freshened up at the hotel, grabbed a bite to eat and then headed back out into the city. The streets were lit brightly, and nearly everyone was out. A cool breeze swirled through the streets, causing much billowing of cloaks and much relief at the temperature drop. The gang was seated at one of the open-air cafés, sipping odd drinks and sampling Egyptian desserts.

Yugi and Tsuki were ecstatic, having never been allowed to stay up and "hit the town" as late as this (it was 9:30 PM, Egyptian time ^_^). Yugi was going through his deck for the third time that night, making sure he'd be ready when he found Kaiba. Tsuki was fingering her gold chain, now adorned with three mini-items. When they'd been at the hotel, Mai had given her the extra item she'd won after the Bandit Keith ordeal. She wondered if she'd ever actually win enough items on her own to make it to the finals. Even if she didn't, that would be alright. She would be just as happy as long as Yugi made it.

Sitting across the table from each other were Mai and Joey, arguing about something, while playing footsies under the table at the same time. Tristan was blowing bubbles in his drink through his straw while Tea tried hard not to laugh (so as not to encourage him).

A little ways off, sitting together on a low wall, unseen by everyone else, were Yami and Dedi, holding hands and watching the mortals with a sort of nostalgic affection. 

"What a day…" Dedi said, leaning her head against her husband's shoulder.

Yami nodded, "Yes…I never expected things to be quite so…eh…eventful."

"I'll be glad when the kids are ready for bed," she said, putting her free hand on his leg, "Won't you?"

Yami felt his cheeks redden, "Y-yes…" he said, "I suppose…must you always bring this up…?"

"Well, what else is there to talk about?" Dedi asked, squeezing his thigh, "I know _I'm _gonna sleep well tonight."

Yami couldn't help but smile guiltily at her. For the first time since he had awakened, he had someone he could truly talk to, who could make him forget about all his worries. He released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders warmly. "I may be too tired for anything _but _ sleep tonight," he admitted.

She shrugged. "That's alright," she said, "Just being close to you is enough for me." She wrapped her arms around his stomach and squeezed him gently.

It hadn't taken Yugi long to grow bored checking over the deck that he had memorized, so he had begun to wander off on his own. There was so much to see in a city at night! Mesmerized by the many new wonders surrounding him, he didn't notice the two cloaked figures following him. At least, not for the first minute or so. Soon however, the young man realized he was being followed and began to take different twists and turns to try and lose the beings that tracked him like his own shadow.

As he hurriedly turned one corner, Yugi ducked into what he thought was an abandoned warehouse (they just show up everywhere, don't they?). However, the lights inside flashed on and walls rose around him. The child began to panic. What was all this? Had he been led into a trap? Spotlights flashed down upon him, and he looked around the large arena. He was amazed to see a huge crowd ready and waiting, some in regular tournament cloaks, but others with the emblem of the Millennium Shield upon them. And others were not in cloaks at all, but rather in business suits.

Blending in among them was Seto Kaiba. With the hood of his cloak pulled over his head, Yugi wouldn't have noticed him even if he had been the only one there. He leaned back in his seat, smirking. He'd left Mokuba at the hotel with rented video games. It was best his little brother wasn't introduced to the corporate underground too quickly. 

The two figures walked into the chamber, unfazed by what was around them and making Yugi back up several steps. They took off their hoods; the taller was a full grown woman and the other was a teenage male with long, blonde hair.

The woman fiddled with what was undoubtedly a small, hook-on microphone, raised her hands and filled the street with her projected voice, "Friends! Duelists from all across the world, hear me! As promised I have brought you the Duel Monsters Champion for your entertainment tonight! Can the world's greatest duelist defeat two Eliminators at once? Place your bets quickly, the duel will begin in five minutes!"

Yugi, having gathered up his courage, ran over to the woman as she was walking away (though he stopped short, still standing several feet away), "Hey! Who are you? I never agreed to this! What kind of a place is this anyway?" 

The woman turned, glaring at the boy coldly. "I am Terra, the Earth Master. And you, young Yugi, are our guest of honor tonight. The Lightning Elemental and I will show you what you get for allowing your friends to disgrace Fire and Wind." Then she turned sharply and left the arena.

Up in the stands, the high-rollers were eagerly placing their bets and discussing who they thought had the better chance of succeeding. All but one, that is. Kaiba was staring at his betting-pad, not touching in. Inside him, a conflict was rising. More than anything he wanted to see Yugi crushed in a humiliating defeat. But…two against one wasn't fair…and it would certainly be a hollow victory.

Kaiba had no doubts that Yugi would lose – the child was glancing around nervously like a mouse with its tail caught in a trap. But something about it didn't feel right, and wouldn't let him enjoy the moment. He put his pad back into its slot on the back of the seat in front of his, and groaned. Damn moral dilemmas. He looked at the clock at the head of the arena that was counting down the time. He had three minutes and forty-two seconds to decide what to do, before the Eliminators came back.

Yugi had already activated his Duel Disk 2, and had walked over to one side of the arena. He had begun to stare at the Puzzle unconsciously, lost in thought. _Can I beat two Eliminators at once? The other two nearly beat Bakura and Joey, but I know that if Yami was here- Wait, where is Yami? It's like ever since he met Tsuki's Spirit he's just forgotten about me…_

3 minutes later, the Eliminators walked back into the arena. The Lightning Duelist walked several paces away (closer to Yugi) while Terra addressed the crowds once again, "All bets are locked in! And now, let the duel-" 

"WAIT!" A voice rang out across the large room and Yugi saw that a single cloaked man had stood up. The man pulled off his hood, nearly making Yugi fall over in surprise.

"Kaiba? What are you doing here?" he asked incredulously.

The young billionaire ignored him and strode down to the fence that separated the audience from the duel. Glaring icily at Terra (who was glowering back), he began to make his way over to the gate that allowed access to the action, "Two against one is no contest, even for Yugi Moto! The bets will be boring if such a one sided duel is held. Reopen the ballots, but put me into the mix. I will duel with Yugi!"

All at once the crowds were on their feet, some cheering, and some protesting. Terra attempted to maintain order, as Kaiba entered the ring and approached Yugi. The young teen gazed at him curiously, "Why are you helping me?" 

Kaiba scowled, "Don't get all sentimental, Moto," he snapped, "I'm doing this for the reasons I just stated – not because I like you. Understand?"

Yugi nodded, a little hurt, but all in all feeling much better. With Kaiba filling the gap Yami had left, at least now he'd stand a better chance.

"What did she mean you'd 'disgraced Wind and Fire'?" Kaiba asked suddenly, not making eye-contact, "Have you been taking care of other Eliminators?"

"Not me," Yugi said, "It was Joey and Bakura."

Kaiba sniggered, "That's a surprise. Ah, well…Any idea what their strategy will be?"

"I'm guessing it'll fit their titles," Yugi shrugged, "At least, that's how the other two had built their decks."

Kaiba snorted, "Theme decks. What a ridiculous waste of time."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Yugi said, "You of all people should know by now that powerful cards don't make the deck invincible…"

Kaiba's eye twitched slightly and Yugi knew that he had hit a sensitive spot. The older man snorted and activated his Duel Disk 2, "Where did those fools go? They're wasting my time. We should be dueling, not just standing idly and waiting for them to stop cowering."

Terra was listening into what Yugi guessed was an earpiece. A second later, she addressed the crowd, "The bets have been re-entered and finalized. The duel between Yugi Moto, Seto Kaiba, Earth and Lightning will commence at the sound of the buzzer!"

"We don't even get a say in any of this…" Yugi said.

"Quit whining," Kaiba said, "Where's that second personality of yours? At least he would handle this like a man."

Yugi sighed and didn't reply. _Yami… Yami! Oh, it's no use. I guess I won't be needing this then._ Yugi took off his Puzzle and stuffed it in the pocket of his cloak, feeling much contempt. Suddenly, a loud buzzer sounded. The holo-projectors activated on their opponents' Duel Disks; the duel had begun…

* * *

Back in the bazaar, Dedi moved to plant a kiss on Yami's cheek…and went right through him! With a startled yell, she backed up, eyes wide.

"What?? What happened?" Yami asked her. He'd felt something strange, but hadn't thought anything of it until she'd cried out.

"You're…fading away!" she said.

"Huh?" Yami looked down at himself. It was true. The tips of his fingers had already vanished completely, and the edges of his entire body were more translucent than normal. "I…don't understand…why is this happening…?"

Dedi shook her head, unable to answer. Then they both heard Tsuki ask, "Hey…where'd Yugi go? He said he was going to explore a little, but I thought he'd be back by now…"

Yami's face paled (though he wasn't sure if it was concern or otherwise that caused it), "Something must have happened to Yugi…" He stood up, his feet almost completely gone, "We have to find him, quickly! Dedi, take control of Tsuki and probe her mind to find where she was last with Yugi!" 

Dedi nodded, and vanished, reappearing in physical form where Tsuki had been sitting and fretting. She stood up, declared, "I'm going to find him," to the others, and took off down the crowded street, with fading Yami hurrying behind her.

Joey stared after Dedi as she ran off again, "Hey, wasn't that just a little girl??"

"It's her spirit," Mai said, "Remember? She must know something! Come on!" 

"Right!" Joey said. They both leapt to their feet, heading after Dedi.

"Where are you going!?!" Tea yelled, as she and Tristan also got to their feet and ran off as well.

* * *

Terra addressed Kaiba and little Yugi, "The rules are standard for a tag team duel. I will play first, then Yugi, then Blitz, and lastly Kaiba. No one can attack first turn. Both players on a team must be defeated for a team to lose. The winners of this match may claim anything they want from their opponents. Now let's proceed,"

The other three duelists nodded. Terra glanced down at her opening hand (Protector of the Throne, Queen of the Cosmos, Lightning Blade, The Regulation of Tribe, The Eye of Truth, and Queen's Double), "To start, I'll play one monster in Defense Mode (Protector of the Throne (800/1500)) and two cards face-down (R. of T./ E. of T.)" The three brown cards appeared in Terra's corner of their square arena. The grown women pushed her hair behind her and folded her arms across her chest, "Mr. Moto? Our crowd is waiting, you know."

Yugi apprehensively drew his six (Kuriboh, Life Force Sword, Light of Intervention, Curse of Dragon, Alpha the Magnet Warrior, and Dark Magician) _At least I can always count on my Dark Magician! _"I'm also placing two cards face-down (L.F. S. / L. of I.) and a monster in Defense mode (Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700))!"

Blitz didn't wait for the foolish child to give him the signal to go. He could tell that there was nothing else the boy was going to do. (Oscillo Hero #2, Thunder Dragon, Polymerization, Negate Attack, Pinch Hopper, and Sanga of the Thunder) The blonde-haired punk selected two cards from his hand and placed them on the field, "I summon the Oscillo Hero #2 (1000/500) in attack mode! While you guys might want to waste your time playing defense, I'm going to light the place up! Last, I play one card face-down (Negate Attack)." The field of play was now littered with different brown-backed holographs, but the little, spherical red warrior on the Lightning Elemental's side stood out from the rest, small bolts of electricity dancing around it.

Seto Kaiba laughed softly, "Brave, but foolish. Still, I admire your initiative. Now let's see…" Kaiba surveyed his options briefly (Cyber Stein, Battle Ox, Cyber Jar, Return of the Doomed, Solemn Wishes, Bell of Destruction), "I'll lay two cards down (S.W. / B. of D.) and summon the mighty Battle Ox (1700/1000) to the field!" The cynical billionaire sniggered to himself, "I believe it seriously outstrips your pathetic Hero, Lightning."

Before he could reply, Terra interrupted them, "Enough idle chatter," the cloaked female selected her next card (Exchange), then grinned at Kaiba, "Mr. Kaiba, I wonder if we might make an exchange of sorts?" 

"What are you talking about?" he cried out furiously at her, "This is a duel, not a trading expo!"

"But this magic card says I can! The "Exchange" card allows me to make a card-for-card switch with another player!" Two large, translucent hands appeared on the field and all the cards that Kaiba and Terra were holding became enlarged and stood behind their masters. 

They observed each other's cards for a moment, with Kaiba speaking first, "You expect me to want something from your pathetic hand? What a waste of my time! You don't have anything worth me taking from you!"

"That may well be, Kaiba," Terra said, "But this wasn't supposed to benefit you. I choose to take your Cyber Jar. Whenever you've decided which of my 'pathetic' cards you want, the switch will be made automatically." She smiled cruelly, "Take your time. I know what a difficult choice this must be for you…"

"Your Queen my not compare to the Blue Eyes White Dragon, but it'll still be enough to defeat any of your other monsters," The two hands picked the cards from them and switched them around.

Terra smirked and put Cyber Jar face-down on the field, "That ends-"

"Hold on!" Yugi's voice surprised everyone.

The older woman glared at him, "What is it boy?"

"That activates my trap: Light of Intervention!" All of the defensive monsters flipped face-up on the field, revealing his Alpha and her Cyber Jar and Protector of the Throne, "Now your choice was wasted! The Cyber Jar card as a monster is too weak to be of much use without its effect!"

Kaiba smiled, "Well, now it's a different story, Terra. You traded me a monster with 2950 attack power for mine with 900," Kaiba put a hand to his mouth in mock surprise, "Oops, I think that does benefit me!"

Terra's clenched fists shook with fury. An instant later, she composed herself, swinging her head back. "You may have won the small toss, Kaiba. But don't get cocky. This is barely beginning!"


	20. Chapter 20 The Eigth Duel: Yugi & Kaiba ...

Author's Note: OKAY!! Sorry this one took so long, but we needed to see how the Battle City double-duel ended, so we didn't make ours end the same way. Anyway, enjoy!! 

* * *

Chapter 20

"The Eighth Duel: Yugi/Kaiba vs. Earth/Lightning"

"So you say. Yugi, I believe that makes it your turn," Kaiba watched as Yugi glanced over at him with a tiny nod and then selected his card.

(Mirror Force) _Awesome! Maybe I could lure them into attacking me, then Kaiba and I will have a free field to attack with!_ Yugi looked up from his card "I'll place one card face-down, and Kuriboh in attack mode (300/200)!" The furry little ball of fuzz appeared on the field, took one look at the other combatants, and hopped behind the metal warrior next to him, scared of the other monsters on the field.

Blitz impatiently drew another card from his deck (Stim-pack), "Ha Ha! I'm discarding my Thunder Dragon from my hand to select two more from my deck," His one card slipped into his graveyard, then two more of the same were handed to him, "And now, I'll fuse them with Polymerization, to form the mighty Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon (2800/2100)!" The polymerization card appeared and mixed the two identical monsters together, forming a powerful new creature that teamed with lightning power, "Finally, I'll equip him with the Stim-Pack card, giving him a rush of Attack power (3500/2100)!" 

As Blitz moved to announce his attack, he looked over at Kaiba when he heard a muffled snickering. Kaiba's shoulders were shaking with stifled sniggering. All at once, he threw his head back and laughed a cold sharp laugh that pierce the still night air. Yugi eyes him curiously, wondering if Kaiba had finally cracked under pressure.

Blitz growled angrily, "What's so funny?!?"

Kabia wiped a small tear from his eye as his laughter died down. "You fool. I was hoping you'd pull some stunt like that," he said, "I'll activate both my trap cards: Solemn Wishes and Bell of Destruction!" A metal ring wrapped itself around the two-headed dragon, which caused it to begin jerking around violently, "My Bell of Destruction will deal direct damage to each player depending on the attack power of the monster it is equipped to!" With a violent explosion, the dragon imploded, separating its head from its body and then shattering into hundreds of pieces. Each player's life points took a major dip, changing from 4000 to 500. 

The world's most famous duelist grinned savagely at Blitz, finding his flabbergasted expression amusing, "Did I forget to mention that it destroys the monster as well? Oops, silly me." His one trap card disappeared from the field, and he focused his attention to the other, "Now, this handy card will give me 500 more life points each time I draw a card," He frowned slightly, as if remembering something unpleasant, "And since this is a double duel, each time my partner draws a card he'll get the same advantage."

Blitz was stunned. His most powerful monster… gone, just like that… He recovered, but still looked badly shaken, "Well, the least I can do to repay you Kaiba, will be to eliminate your partner! Oscillo Hero #2, attack Kuriboh, and finish off Yugi Moto!" His eyes glinted savagely, "This is for my siblings!!!!" The red, spherical lightning warrior rushed forward towards the weaker monster.

Yugi, grim determination etched in his face, simply pressed a button on his Duel Disk 2, "I activate the Mirror Force trap card, which destroys your monster instead of mine!" The blot of electricity that had been aimed a Kuriboh now reversed direction and came back at its creator, striking the creature with deadly force that shattered it. 

Kaiba slipped a card from his deck (Ring of Defense) and smirked slightly as his life points increased to 1000, "I summon Cyber Stein in defense mode (700/500)!, Now, Battle Ox, attack Blitz directly!" The large, humanoid warrior rushed forward, axe glinting off of the arena lights.

Blitz moved to activate his trap, but his mother beat him to it. Terra's loud, clear voice filled the room, "I activate my trap, the Regulation of Tribe!" A brown, leathery-skinned man in long robes appeared in front of the Lightning Elemental and held out a hand. The Battle Ox slowed to a stopped and walked quietly back in front of Kaiba. 

"What the –?" Kaiba cried, "Why didn't my monster obey me??"

Terra laughed, "I guess it just lost the will to battle, Kaiba," she said, "Or maybe it was that I activated my trap card Regulation of Tribe! It allows me to declare one type of monster and prevent them from attacking! And, naturally, I chose Beast-Warrior type, stopping your Ox in its tracks!"

Kaiba cursed under his breath, fists clenched in angrily. Battle Ox was useless as long as that irritating trap remained on the field, "Fine. I place one card face-down (Ring of Defense), and end my turn."

Terra selected a card (Queen Bird (1200/2000)) and said, "I'll tribute my Protector of the Throne for Queen Bird in defense mode. Also, I'll send my trap card to the graveyard, so I don't have to pay to keep it. And that ends my turn. When you get your chance, I dare you to attack, Kaiba," she said, grinning at him malevolently. 

Kaiba folded his arms across his chest, fuming. He wished he could shut her up right away, but he had to wait until it was his turn again, "Hurry up, Yugi! This is a waste of my time!"

Yugi selected a card (Chosen One) and considered his options. He did have the means to use it, but it would be a calculated risk. Could he rely on Kaiba to defend him from attack if this failed? He watched as his life points doubled from Solemn Wishes and addressed the other Duelists, "I switch Kuriboh into defense mode! And now, I'm playing the magic card Chosen One!" his two magic cards and his Dark Magician card appeared face-down in a circle around the chooser. 

"Chosen One??" Blitz said, "What's that do??"

"It lets me choose three cards from my hand, two magic or trap and one monster. If the chooser lands on my monster, then it is automatically summoned onto the field. If not, then all three are destroyed." 

A second later, the top began to spin. Faster and faster it went. Kaiba watched it with interest. He'd seen this card before – during the Battle City Tournament. Had Yugi claimed it from Lumis at the end of their first double-duel?? 

Yugi swallowed hard. The nervous lump in his throat was growing larger and he wished more than ever that Yami could have been with him, to reassure him that this would work. He felt the Millennium Puzzle vibrate from within his pocket and looked around quickly. 

Dedi was standing high above them, on the roof of a nearby building. Next to her, he could make out the fading form of Yami. They had come after all! His friends were all coming up alongside the Egyptian pair, staring down at him, worry and confusion evident on their faces.

Dedi turned and said something to Yami. In response, he leapt of the roof, landing catlike in the center of the area. No one but Yugi could see him, and as he stepped towards his counterpart, Yami saw Yugi's expression turn cold. "Yugi…" he said, "What's wrong?"

Yugi pretended not to hear and turned his attention back to the field, where the chooser was slowing to a stop. It finally ceased movement and selected one card. It was lifted face-up, revealing the Dark Magician for everyone to see.

Kaiba was shocked. Yugi's luck seemed unfailing. How was it that 1-in-3 odds and worse could always work out for him at times when it was most important? 

In a flash of light, Yugi's favorite monster had materialized, arms folded confidently across his chest. Yugi looked past Yami (who seemed to be more see-through than usual) and watched the flabbergasted expressions of his two opponents, "Now, I switch my Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700) into attack mode. Dark Magician, attack the Queen Bird!" The master mage rushed forward to strike at the cowering fowl, but Blitz held up a hand.

"Stop right there, kid! My Negate Attack trap card will block your attack, and end your turn! Now, my move…" The Lightning Duelist drew his card (Mountain), "First, I summon the insect Pinch Hopper (1000/1200)! Next, I'll place the down the field card Mountain!" He grinned, knowing that this next move would make very little sense to the child, "Now, Pinch Hopper, attack the Magnet Warrior!"

"What!?!?" was heard from both Yugi and Kaiba at the same time. The insect monster rushed forward and attempted to attack the magnet soldier, but it was too quick for the little bug, which ended up having its head detached from its body. 

Blitz grinned broadly, and his life points dropped down to 100, "Now, I can summon one monster form my hand with my Pinch Hopper's destruction, and I choose this!" He slapped down a card, which materialized on the field, and looked like the top third of a very, very large creature, "My Sanga of the Thunder (2800/2400)! And as my Sanga attacks your pathetic Alpha, your life points will drop to zero! HA HA HA HA!" The Lightning duelist grinned in an animalistic manner and he watched his large creature fire hundreds of bolts of electricity at Yugi's magnet warrior.

Yugi could only stare in horror, waiting for the end. The bolts hit his magnet warrior and overloaded it, causing it to violently implode. The young boy waited for his life points to drop to zero, but instead there was a spinning ring with large metal leaves blocking the remainder of the bolts. _What!?! But how-_ The vessel of the pharaoh looked over at Kaiba, who looked mad clear through.

"I've activated my Ring of Defense, which blocks any life point damage that could be dealt to me or my partner this turn!" Kaiba was seething. _That brat made me waste my only defense! If I lose because of Yugi, he's going to be very, very sorry…_

Yugi wiped his forehead with his sleeve and cheerily turned to Kaiba, "Thanks! I was so worried that-"

"Shut your mouth, Yugi! You've made me waste my one magical defense to save your worthless hide, and if I hear one more peep out of you about it, I'm liable to turn my wrath on you instead of these fools, understand?" Kaiba drew his card angrily (Wall of Illusions) and his life points increased further. The score now stood at: Kaiba: 1500/Yugi: 1000 – Blitz: 100/Terra: 500.

"I summon my Wall of Illusions in defensive mode (1000/1850) and end my turn by switching Battle Ox into defense mode as well."

Terra tittered quietly, "Quite a threat, Kaiba, coming from someone still on the defensive." She selected a card (Sword Hunter), "Perfect! I tribute my two weaker monsters to summon the Sword Hunter (2450/1700) in attack mode!!" The tall, muscular man clad in tons or armaments and holding two swords, appeared on the field next to Sanga of the Thunder, "And as he attacks and destroys your Battle Ox, Kaiba," The warrior-type rushed forward and sliced Battle Ox's head off. The body disappeared, and the head became mounted on a piece of wood in front of Terra, "It will increase his power to even more (2650/1700) than that of your Dark Magician, Yugi!"

Yugi gulped nervously and selected his next card (Magical Hats), "Well, I'll lay this one card face-down, and switch my Dark Magician in to defense mode." His life points increased by 500, making his life points go up to 1500 as well.

Blitz selected a card (Electro-Whip), "Ha! I play this magic card, Electro-Whip, on my Sanga of the Thunder, which increases it's stats to 3100/2400! Now," he pointed his finger at Yugi, "Attack his Dark Magician, and end any hopes that he might have of victory!" Hundreds of electric sparks flew through the air… and smashed into a magician's hat! Shocked, Blitz stared at the spot where the Dark Magician had just been, unbelievingly.

Yugi let out a short laugh, "My Magical Hats have protected my Kuriboh and my Dark Magician! You've attacked an empty hat, which means your turn is over!" _C'mon Kaiba! We need something to turn this around!_

Kaiba drew his card, concerned (for the first time) about the outcome of the duel, but remaining his cool, under-control self on the outside. (Graceful Charity), "Well, I gain 500 life points for my Solemn Wishes card, which brings me to 2000 again. However, I will gain another 500 by playing this Graceful Charity card!" Kaiba's Duel Disk 2 clicked and beeped, and he selected three cards (Monster Reborn, Anti-Magic Arrows, Dark Zebra). _Good! Now, things are going to get interesting…_ "I'll discard two from my hand (Return of the Doomed and Queen of the Cosmos) and then play this magic card, the Anti-Magic Arrows! It will destroy all of the magic cards that you have on the field!" The magical arrows came flying out of Kaiba's new card, and stuck themselves through the mountainous surroundings that were all around, the deceased cranium of the once mighty Battle OX, and the spear held high by the large thunder beast on Blitz's side. All of it disappeared, changing the stats of both the monster facing Kaiba.

He sniggered to himself, "Lastly, I'll use this Monster Reborn card to revive the Queen of the Cosmos that I threw away with Graceful Charity!" In a bright flash of light, the most powerful female warrior in Duel Monsters stepped elegantly out of Kaiba's magic card. She folded her arms across her chest, smirking confidently. He directed his finger at Terra, "Now, attack the Sword Hunter, and knock the Earth Eliminator out of this match!" The powerful Queen faced her owner, with neither pity or recognition on her face. 

As it was about to charge forward, Yugi held up a hand, "Kaiba, wait!"

The most renowned duelist on Earth stopped, glaring angrily at his 'Teammate', "What do you want now, Moto? I'm about to win this Duel for us, and you want me to wait? For what?" He tapped his foot impatiently, eager to finish off the duel.

Yugi sighed a great sigh of relief. At least Kaiba had listened to him this once, "If you attack Sword Hunter, then Blitz will use Sanga of the Thunder's effect, dropping your monster's attack points to zero! Then the Sword Hunter will tare your Queen to shreds, along with your life points!" 

Kaiba snorted haughtily, "I'll duel as I want, Moto, so don't start preaching to me, got it? I can handle myself you know…" He looked absolutely lived, and spoke only in a whisper for his next sentence, "I'll end my turn here..."

Terra smirked confidently, "You needed a boy to teach you strategy, Kaiba? How sad…" Looking down at the new card she held in her hand (Maryokutai), Terra frowned slightly. This wouldn't help out too much, but sometimes the surprise effect it had would catch opponents off guard, "I summon Maryokutai in Defense mode (900/900). Hmmm… well, an attack would be foolish seeing as Kaiba's Cosmo Queen could intercept it, so I'll end my turn." The large, skeletal head with a humongous brain appeared next to her Sword Hunter, glaring evilly at Yugi with its bright, small eyes.

Yugi selected his next card (Spell Binding Circle), "I'll place a card face-down on the field (Spell Binding Circle), and hide it in the last of the Magical Hats!" His life points rose again, changing the score to: Yugi: 2000/ Kaiba: 2500 – Earth: 500 / Lightning: 100. 

Blitz selected his card (Drug Reaction), "I activate the continuous magic card Drug Reaction! With this card on the field, all magic and trap cards that increase or decrease life points will have their effects reversed, so every time either of you draws a card now, you'll lose 500 points! HA HA HA HA! Now, let's see how well it works, as Kaiba draws his card for this turn!" The Lightning Elemental continued to laugh, long and loud.

Ignoring him was an extremely difficult task, especially when one's life points were being lowly destroyed by your own card. Kaiba glared angrily at the card he had drawn (Raigeki), and his face brightened, "What luck! Who cares about strategy when you have cards like this! I'll end this duel right now by playing the Raigeki card, which will destroy all the monsters on my opponents' side of the field!" 

Kaiba was rudely interrupted as his Raigeki card suddenly stopped trying to shower the field with lightning bolts, and only the weak, little Maryokutai monster disappeared, "What?! Why is only one monster destroyed?"

Terra chuckled, "Because, you fool, when a magic card is played I can sacrifice my face-up Maryokutai to destroy it and stop its effect. You have a lot to learn about Duel Monsters, Seto!"

Kaiba scowled. Nothing was going right for him in this duel! Why? Why was the universe so stacked against him? "Fine then, I'll end my turn here."

Terra selected another card (Dragonic Attack), "Excellent! I'll use this magic card, Dragonic Attack, to transform my Sword Hunter into a mighty dragon, raising his attack power by 500 points!"

As the card was raised onto the field, a large Chinese-dragon made of what looked like a mix of water and energy emerged from it. Roaring, it made a circle of the field and then dove straight at Sword Hunter, swallowing him whole. Then the water-dragon became a whirlpool, spinning rapidly with Sword Hunter in the center. The muscular man's armor fell away and his body began to twitch in erratic spasms. His skin became hard and scaly, his face and torso elongated as his limbs condensed. A new roar was mixed with the lingering sound of the water-dragon as the transformation ended. The whirlpool evaporated into thin air and the Sword Hunter Dragon landed on the ground, shaking it with the force of the impact. Where a man had stood was now a tan and silver dragon, with wings that stretched out behind it. It roared again and flapped its wings eagerly (2950/1700).

Terra held her arms out towards it, "Isn't he beautiful??" she cried, "Now go! Attack the Hat on the far left!!"

The dragon let out a furious attack of flames, which engulfed the Magical Hat and destroyed it. Just as quickly, the contents inside were revealed: a magic circle of deadly energy. Yugi breathed a sigh of relief as it attached itself to the Sword Hunter Dragon, "You've attack and activated my trap, the Spell Binding Circle! This will lower your dragon's attack power down to 2250, making it weaker than what it was when it started!"

Yugi pulled another card from his deck (Slifer the Sky Dragon). _No good. Even if I could summon it, I don't have any cards in my hand!_ "I'll end my turn without doing anything." He watched as his life points decreased 500, back down to 1500.

Blitz drew his card (Riryoku) "I play the Riryoku magic card, reducing Kaiba's Queen to 1475/2450, and adding that 1475 I deducted to my Sanga of the Thunder (4075/2200)!" A glowing blue orb surrounded Kaiba's monster and sucked half of its attack points out of it and added the power to Blitz's monster, making it crackle with electricity. The cocky Lightning Duelist pointed his finger at the shocked Kaiba and shouted, "Now, Sanga, attack Kaiba, and eliminate him from this duel for good!" The mighty thunder beast shot forth a massive blast of lightning energy at the weakened Queen of all, intent on destroying it in one move.

Yugi gulped and saw his chance, "Kuriboh! Reveal and defend!" His tiny monster attempted to pop out of the top of the Hat, couldn't push its way through, got tired, and squeezed out of the bottom (barely). It hopped in front of the shock wave and was fried to a little, burnt ball of lint. It disappeared in a flash.

Kaiba glared angrily at Yugi, "I didn't need your help, so just mind your own business from now on, alright?" He looked down at the card he had picked up (Share the Pain), and grinned evilly, "First, I summon the Dark Zebra (1800/400) to the field! And now, since you so enjoyed inflicting pain upon me, Blitz, I'm sure that you won't mind if I 'Share the Pain'! HA HA HA!" The green magic card appeared on the field along with his malevolent animal, and two knives appeared out of the magic card.

Blitz looked on in horror as one of the knives flew forward and stabbed his Sanga straight through. The mighty creature began to implode from the force of its internal electricity. Within seconds it had destroyed itself, sending a rush of wind at the Thunder Elemental and a rush of blue energy to Kaiba's Queen, "What did you do?" He cried, trying to be heard over the noise of the holograms on the field. 

Kaiba folded his arms over his chest and waited a moment as his Zebra was beheaded, "The 'Share the Pain' card allows me to sacrifice one of my monsters to destroy one of yours. Normally, you would have had a choice as to what one, but since you only had one, there wasn't much choice to be had. And now that my Queen has all of her strength back, I'll finish you off!" The Queen of the Cosmos held up a hand and a blast of red energy spiraled forward. Before it could impact though, another voice was heard:

"Sword Hunter! Defend!" The dragon-warrior flew forward and intercepted the attack as Kuriboh had done only moments before. The red energy hit the dragon's crystal scales and began to break the monster apart. In almost an instant, the dragon shattered into hundreds of pieces. 

Terra's life points dropped to zero. The once strong woman fell to her knees.

"Mother!!" Blitz cried, rushing to her side, "Why did you do that??"

Terra looked up at him with a sad smile. "It's all over, Blitz. Surrender now and maybe we can escape with our lives before Lord Jetsu discovers our failure…"

"But…what about Fuego? And Howa?" Blitz demanded, tears welling in his eyes, "We aren't going to leave them to die, are we??"

"No, of course not," Terra said, getting to her feet once again, "Which is why we must move quickly." 

"I understand," Blitz nodded. Then he turned towards Yugi and Kaiba. Grimly, he placed his right hand over his deck and bowed.

Kaiba was shocked speechless. Yugi managed to find his voice long enough to say, "You're…giving up…?"

"Congratulations, little Yugi," Terra said, bowing as well, "You and your teammate have bested us. Now we must leave you – do not expect to see us again."

"Wait just a minute!" Kaiba said, "You said the winners could take anything they wanted from the losers! So hand over your items!"

Terra and Blitz simultaneously removed their chains and tossed them at the victors' feet. Then with swish of their cloaks, vanished.

Kaiba scowled triumphantly and picked up the chains, each of which had two items attached. He tossed one to Yugi, "Here, I believe this will qualify both of us for the finals of this tournament. According to the rules, tomorrow is the last day for the other losers to collect their items, and anyone without all seven will be automatically eliminated. I'll see you then…" Kaiba walked off and headed up into the crowd to collect his cash from any of the losers that bet against him…

Yugi caught the chain and stuffed it into the pocket of his cloak. Then he pulled out the Puzzle. Yami watched wide-eyed, as Yugi reared back. Surely he wasn't going to break it?? Then, an intense force took hold of him and he was dragged into the puzzle. Without Yugi's support, he could no longer remain on the physical plane. 

At that instant, Dedi landed cat-like on the ground in front of the boy. "Yugi don't!!" she cried, hurrying over to him, "Listen, I know your upset, but don't to anything rash!"

Yugi looked up at her and she was surprised to see his face wet with tears. "He wasn't there for me…" the poor boy choked, "I needed him and he wasn't there…"

"I know," Dedi said, "And I can't help but feel it was my fault. Yugi, I know how important you two are to each other, and if I'm only getting in the way…" She clenched her fists tightly, and took a deep breath, "I'll understand if you don't want me around. Just say the word and I'll be out pf your lives forever." She knew her hands were shaking as she stared down at the boy. The last thing she wanted to do was leave, but if that's what she had to do…

But Yugi shook his head. "No…I don't want him to be unhappy…here," he shoved the Puzzle into her hands, "take it, before I destroy him." Dedi could only watch sadly as he turned and fled the arena. She heard footsteps behind her and then the voices of Yugi's friends reached her. 

"Hey…what happened??" Joey asked, coming up beside Dedi.

She handed Joey the Puzzle, "Please, get him to take this back…I have to go…" She surveyed the small group forlornly, "It was nice meeting you all…" Then she too fled the stadium, disappearing in the opposite direction that Yugi had gone.

"What was that all about??" Tristan asked.

"I think I know," Joey said, looking down at the Puzzle, "I gotta go talk to Yugi."

"You want me to come with?" Tristan asked.

"No offense, Tristan," Joey said, "but…this I something I need to do alone."

"Alright," Tristan nodded, "Good luck."

"Yeah, thanks," Joey said, putting the Puzzle into his pocket and heading off. 

After he was gone, Tristan cleared his throat, "So…_ladies_…" 

"Don't start," Tea said irritably.

"Wasn't startin' nothin'," Tristan said defensively as both girls rolled their eyes.


	21. Chapter 21 Broken Puzzle Repaired

A Note From the Authors: Sorry if the drama was too much. The story has proven to be a very complex one, and it covers all areas of writing...Anyway here's the next chapter!! Starting to head back into the comedy genre hopefully. ^_^

* * *

Chapter 21

"Broken Puzzle Repaired"

Joey made quick work getting back to the hotel. He knew that's where Yugi would've gone. In this foreign country, there weren't really any places that the fourteen-year-old would feel comfortable. He pushed the door to their room open slowly and peeked inside, "Yug…you in here??"

Yugi looked up from his seat on the bed, saw who it was, and quickly started wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "Oh…Joey…hi," he said.

Joey shut the door behind him and knelt down on the floor in front of Yugi, "Hey…you ain't cryin', are ya?"

"No, of course not," Yugi said, wiping the last of his tears away, "Just got something in my eye."

"Hey, it's okay man," Joey told him, "So what's going on? Why'd that Egyptian girl give me this??" he asked, pulling out the Puzzle.

Yugi stared at it, "No…I don't want it. She was supposed to keep it."

"Funny…she told me to give it to you," Joey said, "And then she just took off."

"She…did…?" Yugi said. He reached towards the Puzzle, and then pulled back, turning away.

"Look, Yug," Joey said, "I'm not sure what's goin' on with you and Yami, but maybe you should give him a second chance?"

"I already did," Yugi said bitterly, "That's twice he's let me down. It's obvious he'd much rather be with his Queen…"

"So _that's _what this is all about," Joey said, sitting back. "I dunno if you're old enough to know about this yet, but whenever there's a girl involved, guys can be pretty big idiots."

"I'm starting to understand that…" Yugi said cynically.

"Come on," Joey said, holding up the Puzzle, "Just talk to him. Give him a chance to explain and let him know how ya feel."

Slowly, Yugi took hold of the Puzzle. "Alright…" he sighed, "But I don't see what good it'll do." He put the chain around his neck and lay down on the bed. "You can go find the others, Joey. I'll probably be zoned for quite a while."

"Okay," Joey said, getting to his feet, "I'll be back in a little while." Then he quietly left the room.

Yugi shut his eyes and all at once, he was standing in the narrow hallway between the room of his mind and that of Yami's. He made a quick stop in his room, picking up a large bag of marbles and a black marker, before crossing the corridor and entering Yami's room. 

He always hated going into Yami's room. It was musty, cold, and now it looked as if everything had been falling apart and was just getting under repair. Half-broken bricks lay scattered on the ground, but Yugi ignored them. Selecting one marble from his bag, he opened one of the countless doors and tossed it in. Immediately, the small, blue sphere was engulfed in a blast of flames and incinerated. The young boy sighed. _One down, only 3 billion to go…_ He drew a check mark on the door with the marker and moved on. One by one, the marbles were destroyed by the many booby-traps. 

He'd gone about three-quarters of the way when the marble he'd tossed in wasn't touched. It just clacked across the stone floor harmlessly. Nervously, Yugi gripped the doorframe with both hands and put one foot inside. Nothing happened. He swung the door fully open and light streamed into the room. Against the back wall, a figure Yugi knew must be Yami was sitting on his throne. His face was buried in his hands, and when he looked up, Yugi saw that he was blinking back tears.

"Yugi…" Yami said quietly, "…I…didn't expect to see you…"

"I didn't expect to come," Yugi said, "I'm still not sure why I'm here."

Yami hung his head, "I don't blame you for being angry…I know that I…let you down…"

"I just dueled the scariest duel of my life…all by myself…" Yugi said, his voice shaking.

Yami wrung his hands desperately, "I know…by the gods, Yugi I never meant to abandon you, I swear it…please, just try to understand…having her back again after so many eons…I wasn't thinking clearly…I know it's a bad excuse…will you be banishing me now…?"

"No…" Yugi said, stepping closer to his counterpart, "I don't want you to leave…I just want to stay a part of your life…is that too much to ask??"

"Absolutely not!" Yami said, grabbing Yugi's hands, relieved.

Yugi couldn't help but smile, "Okay then…do you think you could try balancing your time between me and her?"

"You'd think as a political leader I'd be good at that…" Yami said, grinning ashamedly, "Will you help me?"

"Yeah," Yugi nodded, "Come on."

Yami stood up and the two of them headed out of Yami's mind. As they walked off, Yugi asked, "So…where were you last night, anyway?? With Dedi…?"

"Um…yes…" Yami said, "You've…taken health class, right…?"

"_Yami!!_" Yugi cried.

"We're married! It's allowed!!"

"Still…"

* * *

"Did they get away?" Lord Jetsu's voice was neutral, but inside he was seething. The two cold metal slits in his helmet concealed his eyes, but Vitani could feel his gaze burning into her pounding head.

She swallowed hard, "Y-yes, m'lord. Most sincere apologies, sir. They ganged up on me – you know I'm not fit to be a security force member. They overpowered me…" She turned her eyes to the floor and braced herself for the inevitable punishment. Failure as large as this never went scot-free.

Jetsu growled impatiently and his Millennium Shield began to glow again, as if feeding off of his anger. Henchmen that failed were to await their punishment, like the loyal Vitani. Loyalty such as this was so hard to find these days. That alone would save her- this time. The Shield let out a flash of magical light and knocked Vitani off of her feet. 

Jetsu stepped down off of his pharaoh's throne that he had built for himself and walked past his shaken right-hand woman, leaving her with several parting words, "Summon Void. NOW!"

* * *

When Yugi returned to his body, it was still dark outside. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, trying to adjust them to the light (or lack there of, in this case). He felt movement off to one side and turned to see Yami, back in his normal translucent state, standing beside the bed. 

"Yugi…" he said, "I have to find Dedi. Do you think Tsuki would still be across the hall?"

"Only one way to find out, I guess," Yugi shrugged.

A minute later, Yugi peeked inside the girl's hotel room. "This feels so wrong on so many levels…" he said nervously.

"Relax," Yami said, walking through the only half-open door and into the room, "Our intentions are innocent. If we don't wake anyone up, we'll be fine."

Yugi followed after him hesitantly, and he had no sooner than closed the door when a voice made them both jump, "What was that about not waking anyone up?"

They both turned. Dedi, in her translucent form, was sitting on the dresser, smiling. "I didn't expect to see you so soon," she said, "I trust everything's alright between the two of you?"

"We're working on it," Yami said, smiling at Yugi, "That's why we've come to talk to you, darling."

"Yes?" she said, leaning forward putting her folded arms on her legs.

Both star-haired boys went slightly red, as they tried not to look down her shirt. "It's just that…" Yami began, "I have to start dividing my time more evenly. Especially with this Lord Jetsu character at large…I won't be able to come and…see you every night."

"Oh…" she said, pouting, "Alright then." She sat up, considering this, and then asked, "Have you told him that we…?"

Yami went scarlet and nodded.

"Ahh…" she nodded, "Okay. Don't worry about it, Yugi. I've lived without him for all these eons; a little while longer won't hurt. That is…" she said, hopping off the table and taking hold of Yami's arm, "as long as he can live without me."

Yami continued to blush and Yugi shifted uncomfortably. "I-I think I'll manage," Yami said, rubbing the back of his neck embarrassedly, "We'd better get back to our room now…"

"Yeah," Yugi agreed, and zipped out of the room.

"You're sure you're okay with this??" Yami asked Dedi.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. She kissed him gently on the lips, "You just fix things with your boy."

"I will. Thank you, my love," he said and departed.

Back in his own room, Yugi placed the Puzzle on his nightstand and climbed into bed. All the exhaustion he'd been ignoring had finally caught up with him and he fell forward onto his pillow thankfully.

He'd almost dozed off, when he heard another voice, "Hey, Yug?"

"Joey…?" Yugi asked drowsily, "Izzat choo?"

"Yeah s'me," Joey's voice answered from the bed next to Yugi's, "How'd it go? Is everything okay??"

"I think so," Yugi yawned, "G'night, Joey."

"Night, Yug…"

* * *

Yugi awoke the next morning a little later than usual, around 8:15, to the sound of voices. He blinked groggily, and Tristan and Joey came into focus in front of his eyes. They were both sitting on Joey's bed and seemed to be arguing about something.

"Come on!" Tristan pleaded, "You said you'd give me details last night and you didn't! Now spill!"

"I said 'later'," Joey insisted, "That could be three years from now, for all you know."

"Guys?" Yugi said, "What's goin' on?"

Both Joey and Tristan nearly fell off the bed in surprise. "Now look! Ya woke up Yugi!" Joey said, smacking Tristan on the back of the head. 

"Ow! So what??" Tristan shot back, "It's not like he wouldn't wanna hear about this."

"Hear about what??" Yugi asked.

"Joey was just about to give me all the details about what he and Mai did up on the roof yesterday afternoon," Tristan said.

Joey's face reddened, "I was _not!_" 

"Why were you even up on a roof in the first place?" said another voice and they all turned. Bakura had finally woken up and was staring at them all curiously.

Yugi sighed and quickly recapped the events of the past afternoon for Bakura.

"Right," Tristan said, "So _anyway…_"

Joey bit his bottom lip nervously, "There's not really that much to tell…"

"There's gotta be something," Tristan persisted.

"Oh, alright…" Joey said, and blushing, reiterated the events on the roof, trying to keep it rated PG (for Yugi's sake). When he finished, he glanced over at Tristan, expecting him to burst out laughing. But Tristan was clenching his fists and looked like he might cry. "What's with you??" Joey asked, "It wasn't _that _ pathetic was it??"

"You…are…so…LUCKY!!!" Tristan cried, gripping Joey by the shoulder, "To think, a babe like her would so much as _look _at you…! Wow!"

"Hey! What's that supposed ta mean?!?" Joey demanded.

But Tristan never had to answer, because at that moment, who should come bursting through the door, but the girls, all dressed and ready to go! "Who's ready for breakfast??" Mai asked cheerfully.

There was an awkward silence as the two groups just stared at each other. Then Joey exploded, "_WHY DO YOU KEEP **DOING **THAT?!?_"

"Well, excuse me," Mai said, "We even gave you an extra half-hour this morning. How long does it take a couple of teenage boys to get dressed anyway??"

"Come on, Mai," Tea said, grabbing her sleeve and pulling her back out the door as she simultaneously ushered Tsuki in the same direction, "Let's just go wait for them downstairs."

As the door closed behind them, Joey snorted, "Ya know, that's getting ta be a _really _ bad habit…"

Silently, Yugi was glad that he was not yet "man enough" to sleep without pajamas.


	22. Chapter 22 The Ninth Duel: Void

A Note from the Authors: Okay! This next duel is long, but it didn't take that long to write. Weird, eh? Anyway, we rented the Volume One Yu-Gi-Oh video just the other day and had a good laugh at how funny all the characters sounded. There probably won't be any jokes in reference to that, but we were amused none the less...pretty much everybody was inhaling too much helium. And we also noticed how greatly the animation has improved over only one-and-a-half seasons. It was neat...

ANYWHO...on to the next chapter!!

* * *

Chapter 22

"The Ninth Duel: The Void"

Shortly after, the gang was seated at their usual booth in the buffet area, enjoying breakfast. Mai was reading aloud a flyer that had been set at their table, "According to this, the finals begin tomorrow, and anyone without the seven required items is disqualified."

"Yeah…Kaiba said something about that," Yugi said, taking a huge bite of his waffles.

"Lucky for us, that we're already qualified," Joey said.

Yugi heard a small sigh beside him and turned. Tsuki had barley touched her food, and was fingering her gold chain with its two meager items. Yugi put his fork down and put a hand on her arm, "Don't worry Tsuki," he said, "I'm sure there'll be plenty of dueling opportunities for you today."

"Oh, that's okay," she said, smiling, "I never really expected to qualify, and I like just watching you."

"Still…" Yugi said, blushing, "Maybe I could look at your deck before we go out and give you a few pointers."

"Could you??" she asked excitedly.

"Sure, no problem," he said. She handed her deck to him, and as he looked through it, his expression became more and more hopeless. Tsuki's deck was stacked with 'cute' monsters without very high attack power, and there were very few helpful magic and trap cards. He had to fight the urge to tell her, 'Well, no wonder you lost to Weevil!', and instead said, "Well…it certainly does need work. Did you bring any extra cards with you?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "Up in my parents' room."

"Let's go see what we can do," Yugi said, getting up from the booth. Tsuki slid out after him.

As they turned to go, Tristan's voice stopped them, "Takin' to a hotel room already…"

"Go easy on 'er, Yug," Joey said, "It's her first time."

"_You ** guys!!**_" Yugi cried, spinning around towards them, face beet-red.

Tristan and Joey just whistled innocently and didn't say anything more. Mai suppressed a giggle, while Tea glared disapprovingly at all three of them. 

Scowling, Yugi strode off, with Tsuki hurrying to catch up. "What was that all about??" she asked.

"N-nothing," Yugi said quickly, "Let's just forget it, okay?"  
"Okay!" she agreed, as the two of them reached the stairs.

Once upstairs, Yugi set to work. The extras Tsuki had proved useful, but he had to pull from his own reserves to put the finishing touched on. As he worked, and Tsuki watched absorbedly, Yami and Dedi stood off to one side.

"That deck really was pretty pathetic," Dedi said.

"Why didn't you fix it?" Yami asked.

"I couldn't," she said, "Not without her realizing I'd made changes. You have no idea how much I envy the relationship you have with your boy…someday I hope Tsuki will know me…"

"She will…" Yami said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "But these things take time, remember. Yugi and I were on two different planes for the longest time."

"Patience never was my strongest virtue," Dedi said, grinning.

"Alright!" Yugi's voice interrupted them, "That should do it!"

He held the new deck out to Tsuki and she pocketed it. Then she threw her arms around his neck, "Thank you so much!"

"I-it was nothing," he stammered, "Now we'd better get back downstairs. We don't want the gang to leave without us.

* * *

The bazaar was busy that morning, filled with Duelists trying to collect their final items. The gang made their way through the crowds with difficulty, stopping to check out each duel as they went. Some were interesting, but there was no sign of anyone they recognized. Little did they know that they were being watched. 

The cloaked figure that was standing in the ally way was surveying the small group dourly. Void (he knew of no other name for himself), had started quietly reminiscing about the stakes for the duel that was to come. The elementals had supplied the ancient pharaoh with all of his items, as well as the thief and the ruler's bodyguard. Only his wife was still vulnerable, but it would be enough. A Millennium item and knocking her out of the tournament would have to be good enough. He knew that he owed his master that much, but perhaps Jetsu would provide him with the information that he still yearned to learn. He had been taken in at birth by the wondrous and kind Lord Jetsu, who had always promised that he would someday reveal the origins of the magically-deprived being. 

Void had always seen his magical resistance to be a curse, though his lord promised him that it would someday be a benefit. If Void could win this duel, Jetsu had sworn to tell him all that he wished to know. He couldn't remember much about his past, but the master had always been there. Lord Jetsu had been planning this operation ever since Void was a small child, and he had witnessed much.

His master was strict, but fair. The black-armored knight had punished many, but only for failures, and the rewards for success were great. Void could still remember when the brash teen Vitani had joined them. Though he had never trusted her farther than he could throw her (which wasn't far, especially at that age), at least she hadn't challenged his position as the master's favorite.

As the group began to pass him by (chatting happily and sometimes arguing playfully), the young man lightly stepped out in front of them, arms at his sides and hood almost completely covering his face. That was for good reason. Without magical energies (however faint as they embraced even normal humans) flowing through him, he had always appeared to be deathly pale, and very thin. There was no doubt in his mind that the item holders would notice something, but the others might not be as wise…

"Hey…what is this??" Joey said, stopping in his tracks so as not to run into the man.

"Uh oh…" Yugi muttered, "He must be another Eliminator…"

"How do you know?" Tea asked.

"The symbol on his cloak," Yugi said, pointing, "It matches Ambrosious' symbol, and the others' too."

"The boy is very observant…" Void said softly, "But I have no quarrel with you or the Pharaoh. You have earned your place in the tournament, though you bring yourselves willingly to your demise. My master will not be merciful in his dueling, but that is not my concern." Void sighed, then lifted his head slightly, staring at Tsuki with an intensity that had been lying dormant for this moment, "However, one of your number remains vulnerable…"

"Leave her out of this," Yugi said grimly, stepping in front of Tsuki protectively.

Void took one step forward. Despite his height advantage on the younger boy, the 18-year old knew that he was not an imposing sight, "According to tournament rules, I am allowed to challenge anyone with Items to a duel until the end of this day, so step aside."

"You may be allowed to challenge anyone ya want," Joey said, coming to Yugi's side and blocking Tsuki completely from sight, "But that doesn't mean they have to accept."

"It's alright boys," came a voice from behind them after a brief flash of light, "I can handle this." Yugi and Joey glanced back, and then stepped aside in surprise. Dedi was standing in Tsuki's spot. Clutching the Millennium Scale, she stepped forward. Holding it out, she said, "We'll see how worthy you are of challenging me." The magic of the Millennium Scale, in the hands of its rightful owner, began to make the golden item glow brightly.

Then the glowing stopped. Nothing more happened. The wind stirred up the dust around them and the crowd continued to shuffle along, but that was it. Dedi looked shocked. Bringing the Scale closer to her, she tapped at it with her index finger. Why hadn't they been transported to the Shadow Realm?

Void gave a small smile. "Ah… am I to be judged? Sometimes I wish it were as simple as that. Sorry to disappoint you, Queen Dedi…but I will never see the Shadow Realm in my life-time. You see, I am…" He began to hang his head but stopped himself. The shame of this never ceased to come, even when his curse helped him, "…Void." The magically-resistant being finished, wondering if this would make any sense to these people.

"Void…?" Dedi said, then nodded, "Yes, I've heard of your kind. It's very rare to find one these days, though. Well…if I cannot judge you by magic, I'll do so the old fashioned way. Shall we commence with the duel??"

"Let's shall…" Void said.

The opponents set themselves apart, clearing an opening in the street, as the crowd backed up, sensing a show beginning.

"Hey, Yugi," Tea said, "What's a 'void'?"

"I'm not sure…" Yugi admitted, "I guess we can ask Dedi when this is all finished."

"That guy can't be much older than us…" Joey said, "What's he doin' workin' for some evil crime lord??"

"Who knows…?" Tristan shrugged, "He doesn't seem too strong-willed…maybe he was forced."

Yugi glanced over and saw Yami standing next to him. The spirit was watching the strange young man intently. Yugi wondered what Yami might know about this whole situation, but decided it would be better to save questions for later. He didn't want to miss any of the duel – it might provide some answers on its own.

"Your Majesty may have the honor of the first move," Void said calmly.

"As you wish," Dedi said and selected six cards from her deck. After a quick survey of her opening hand (Invader of the Throne, Amazon Archer, Nekogal #1, Black Pendant, Waboku, and Final Destiny), she grinned. This was a much better start than the last time she had dueled, "I will place one monster in defense mode (Invader of the Throne (1350/1700)), and one card face-down (Waboku)!"

Void nodded slightly and then began to select his cards. Her deck did not reflect her fiery personality. His master had explained about Queen Dedi before he left on this assignment, and attack mode would have seemed more appropriate for her. Nevertheless, he had to proceed carefully… (Last Day of Witch, Soul Release, Ryu-Kishin Powered, Giant Germ, Spear Cretin, Graverobber's Retribution). Void's voice was quiet and raspy as he addressed the Queen of Egypt, "I will place one card face-down (Graverobber's Retribution) and one monster in defense mode as well (Giant Germ (1000/100))…"

Dedi selected a card, and stared at it in confusion (Card Destruction). This card must have been one of the ones Yugi had placed in it. She wondered what other surprises she would find, and said, "I'll use this card, Card Destruction, to make us discard our hands and start over fresh!"

Void nodded grimly and chucked his four cards, then selected four new ones (Spear Cretin, Dark Necrofear, Dark Energy, and Graverobber's Ghoul), which made him grin faintly. Now, one of several strategies his deck provided would be easy to implement…

Dedi drew her cards (Nekogal #2, Princess of Tsurugi, Dian Keto the Cure Master, Mask of Brutality) as well, getting another surprise in the form of the mask card. Still, she knew what to do with the other cards, and selected one from her hand, "I sacrifice my weaker Invader of the Throne for the Nekogal #2 in attack mode (1900/2000)!" A daringly-dressed cat-girl monster appeared on the field, white fur blending in nicely with the sand of the Egyptian street, "Now Nekogal, attack his face-down card!"

With a whip of her tail, the card broke in half and a large cluster of purple dots disappeared. Void showed no remorse for the loss of his monster as he explained, "You've attacked the Giant Germ, which will deduct 500 life points from your score, and it will summon the other two from my deck in attack mode." Two more of the same cluster-like monsters appeared, while Dedi's life points dropped for the first time: Void: 4000 – Dedi: 3500.

Dedi frowned, knowing she should have seen that some sort of trap waiting for her. Now he'd have two monsters on the field, but would they still have their affect if they were placed in attack mode?? It was a risk she wasn't quite willing to take. "I guess it's your turn," she said, masking her frustration with calm.

Void selected another card (Crush Card), and pondered the irony of the situation. _How fitting that a germ will be the one to deliver her the virus_, "I will place an additional card face-down (Crush Card) and switch both of my monsters into defense mode. Your turn…" His last words were barely mumbled out; he was once again lost in his own feelings. Dueling without magic required a different energy source, which was often his life force. It had become a sickly and dying flame from the years of isolation living with Lord Jetsu. Most normal humans didn't notice, because their magical energies could supply their decks with spirit. His monsters and other cards each appeared slightly dissimilar in appearance from his unusual supply. 

Dedi eyed the down card suspiciously as she drew her next card (Protector of the Throne (800/1500)). "I'll place this card in defense mode," she said, laying the card down, "And then I'll play the magic card, Dian Keto the Cure Master, which will increase my life points by 1000!" Simultaneously, a face down card appeared in front of a green-haired elf-man. As the man faded away, Dedi's life points increased to 4500.

Void drew another card (Reaper of the Cards), "First, I will activate one of my face-down cards: The Crush Card virus! By sacrificing one of my Giant Germs, I am able to infect your deck and destroy every monster with over 1500 attack that you play, starting with your Nekogal #2!" The Giant Germ on the left shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces, and the deadly purple blotches that came forth from his trap card latched onto the cat-girl like a horrible rash or disease. 

In an instant, the monster was destroyed. Next, the Protector of the Throne was flipped face-up, but remained untouched. Void explained softly, "For the next three turns, any monster that you draw with over 1500 attack will be automatically discarded. This is but the first step on my way to paralyzing your deck and eliminating you from this tournament. Next, I will use the Grave-robber's Ghoul magic card to remove your two monsters from your graveyard." Out of his magic card came a horrifying decaying zombie, clutching a shovel. It began digging at the ground rapidly. 

In an instant later, the zombie was holding up the cards of the Invader of the Throne, and Nekogal #2. Before anyone could blink it had ripped them into tiny pieces and scattered the pieces to the wind. Void glared gloomily at Dedi, "Those two will never rest in peace now that they have been removed from the graveyard, and that activates my other trap: Graverobber's Retribution. For every monster removed from play on your side of the field, you will lose 100 life points." 

He took in a deep breath and continued, "Lastly, I'll play one monster face-down (Spear Cretin (500/500)) in defense-mode." Void hoped that the duel wouldn't last much longer, or at least not have much more action. This should be enough to put her away, but one could never tell. He could see the brown-backed cards were already fading in color. The amount of life force energy that he could put into this duel was ebbing slowly.

Dedi drew her card, wondering faintly about the difference in appearance of his card to hers. To her surprise, she had barely had time to look at the card (Dark Magician Girl) when it was sent to the graveyard, infected by the Crush virus. She growled softly as her life points decreased and folded her arms. There was nothing she could do this turn, "Your move, Void."

Her opponent also selected a card (Crass Clown), "I'll place another monster in defense-mode (Crass Clown (1350/1400)) and end my turn, which means that you lose another 200 LP!" The score changed again, coming even closer to equal: Void: 4000 – Dedi: 4100.

Dedi tried to ignore him, but even when she wasn't looking into those depressed, sunken eyes she could feel the ripple in the magical field that he caused, like a rock slowly being eroded by the ocean. It was there, disrupting everything around it, but it was gradually being worn away by forces over which he had no control. The Queen stared at her newest card (Malevolent Nuzzler) and thought for a moment. There was only one turn left for the virus after this. If she played this card now, it could destroy her only defense against attacks. No, it was better to wait it out and hope for the best, "I'll pass again…"

Over on the sidelines, Yugi cocked his head, "Something's not quite right…" he said, "Void's holograms are too faint…"

"Ya think his Duel Disk is on the fritz??" Joey asked.

"Maybe…" Yugi said, "But something tells me this goes deeper than malfunctioning technology." He glanced over at Yami, who nodded grimly. "I sure hope Dedi has a plan to get past him – he's dueling excellently."

Unbeknownst to everyone, Bakura was no longer himself. Once again Yami Bakura had taken control, this time out of curiosity towards the magic-disrupter. Jetsu's eliminators certainly did come in all shapes and sizes. Silently, he wondered what sort of powers the Lord might offer him in exchange for a simple trifle…say, the Millennium Puzzle… He smirked to himself and then changed his face to look more like Bakura's so the others wouldn't notice him.

The magic-resistant being noticed another wrinkle in the magical flow that excluded him, and wondered where it had originated from. No matter. All that mattered right now was this duel, and winning it. This card (Millennium Shield) was all the reminder that he needed of that, "I'll flip my Crass Clown into attack mode, which activates his special effect: sending one monster on the field back into the owner's hand! And I choose your face-down card!" The brown-backed card of Dedi's lone defense disappeared upon the revealing of the evil fiend monster. However, there was something wrong with this clown: he was a pale, gray skin color instead of the usual mustard yellow.

Void, of course, noticed this without much surprise. Having begun his dueling training several years ago, the strain on his life force had actually begun to weaken him, making him seem older than he really was. His time for this duel was running out, and he needed to finish this quickly. Snatching up two cards from his hand, the magically-resilient boy placed them on the field, "I sacrifice my last Giant Germ for a monster in defense mode (Millennium Shield (0/3000)), and I equip my Crass Clown with the Dark Energy magic card, which will increase his attack power to 1650! Now…" he paused for an instant, taking in another deep breath, trying to forget the heat that was adding to his slight fatigue and making it more serious, "Crass Clown, attack!" The evil monster rushed forward and thrust out its hand, holding up the ball of Dark Energy that had been given to it. 

A wave of black energy smashed into the Egyptian Queen, dropping her life points severely, and sending a large jolt of pain through her body. Wincing, she stood again and drew a card (Amazon Archer), decreasing her life points further: Void: 4000 – Dedi: 2250. 

She didn't dare look at the others of her group, not wanting to see the looks of concern they were sure to be wearing. She was a big girl, and she could take care of herself: she would prove it, "I summon the Amazon Archer (1400/1000) in attack mode! And now I equip her with the Malevolent Nuzzler card, which will increase her attack power to 2100!" For a moment, Dedi was tempted to play the Mask of Brutality, but it had a hefty cost. Still, she could just decide not to pay for it the next turn… "I'll also equip her with this: The Mask of Brutality! My magic card will increase Amazon Archer's attack power by another 1000 points, up to 3100!" 

And on the field a tall, muscular woman with silver hair appeared, wearing furs and clutching a bow and arrow. Next to her, appeared a green-skinned, female triclops, who (as soon as she appeared) began to braid the Amazon Archer's beautiful hair. An instant later, a blue wooden mask latched itself onto the Archer's face, making her quite a frightening sight.

Mai smirked, "Now there's a girl you wouldn't wanna mess with."

The mighty ruler raised her right arm and extended her forefinger towards the lanky… boy? Man? "Attack the Crass Clown now! Rid the field of that threat once and for all!" With one potent arrow through its decaying head, the Crass Clown was shattered, and Void lost life points for the first time: Void: 2550 – Dedi: 2250.

Yugi breathed a small sigh of relief. Things had been looking pretty bad for a minute there. Now at least Dedi was catching up. And the 'void' seemed to be growing weaker as the turns rolled around. Dedi might not even have to win – if this kid was going to collapse soon. He frowned, worried. Something was definitely not right here.

Void sighed, his croaky breath revealing faint feelings of frustration. He pulled out another card (Chain Energy). Just one more card that would insure his victory, "I'll activate the continuous magic card Chain Energy!" Immediately, the entire field became surrounded by sickly, puke-green energy bindings, trapping the two duelists in a ring. Void looked about at his creation, slightly sickened himself, "This card will make both of us pay 500 life points each time we play cards from our hands." He lifted a hand and held up four fingers, "That gives you four cards to defeat me, Queen Dedi. Choose them wisely…"

Dedi was so taken aback by the sickly state of his hologram-creation that she almost didn't hear him. She drew her next card (Mystical Space Typhoon) and breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll play a magic card of my own," she said, "The Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Chain Energy, at the cost of 500 points." The green ring was engulfed in a swirling whirlpool in a matter of seconds, as Dedi's life points dropped to 1750. A quick bolt of lightning finished the job and the field cleared. "Next, I'll place this monster in defense mode (Protector of the Throne (800/1500)), and pay 1000 points to keep Mask of Brutality for one more turn. Finally, I'll use Amazon Archer to attack the card on the left!"

The female warrior leapt forward, striking down on the left card. The Millennium Shield appeared and vanished in a brief flash. The score was now: Void: 2550, Dedi: 750. "Before I end my turn…" Dedi said, "I have a question for you, Void. This duel…it's killing you…isn't it…?"

Taken aback, Void let out a cough that he had been holding in, "From the stories I heard, you sounded ruthless in battle, Queen Dedi," he bowed slightly, "Do you always care for your opponents in battle?"

"I hate being at an unfair advantage," Dedi said, "and I certainly don't want to win by default if something happens to you. I wouldn't call this a battle anyway – not from my perspective. It's a competition of wits and skills, that's all. But you are growing weaker with every card you play…I never thought it would effect the actually performance of the duel disk. I have to tell you I don't like dueling this way…not when it's hurting you so badly…"

"A void learns to deal with it, as I have…" He began to stare off into space as he began to recall bad memories, "It is a curse that has run in my family for generations, or so I've been told. If a void is to use his advantage, he must be apt at controlling his pain. I will deal with it, as I always do. I know you all think I'm just some mindless slave to Jetsu, but I have a lot riding on this duel," He glared back down at Dedi, determination beating out stress in his eyes, "So we will continue." 

Void drew his card (Black Illusion Ritual), "I pass this turn, but as the score stands now with you only at 550 life points from Graverobber's Retribution, and in seconds when you lose 200 more, it won't matter how tired I am. Your life points are almost gone, and your Millennium Item will be mine!" He let out a short maniacal laugh, practically tasting the victory that was to come.

Dedi ignored him and drew her next card (Monster Reborn), watching with slight dismay as her life points dropped to 350. Nevertheless, one more turn should hopefully be enough to win this duel, "I'll activate my Amazon Archer's special ability, which allows me to sacrifice both of my monsters on the field to inflict 1200 life points to you directly!" Translucent images of the Protector of the Throne and Amazon Archer gathered themselves together in the arrow of the Amazonian warrior, who fired her bow one last time. It exploded right in front of Void, and dropped his life points considerably: Void: 1350 – Dedi: 350.

Pulling two more cards out of her hand, Dedi continued, "I'll lay one monster in defense mode (Princess of Tsurugi (900/700)), and play the magic card Monster Reborn to revive my lost Dark Magician Girl!" The blue-eyed, blonde-haired girl appeared on the field in a cloud of gold dust. She yawned and stretched, as if awakening from a pleasant sleep, and then waved to Void teasingly.

"Now!" Dedi cried, "Dark Magician Girl, attack his face-down card!" The beautiful girlfriend of Yugi's favorite card jumped into the air, and lashed out with her staff, striking Void's last defense. The Spear Cretin appeared momentarily, and then vanished. The Dark Magician Girl spun around happily, and flashed Dedi the victory or peace sign.

Void was taken aback by the antics only for a moment, and then grinned, "Very well then. You may select which monster you wish to revive. I already have." Another card appeared face-down in front of Void, where the Spear Cretin had been only seconds before.

Dedi was only slightly surprised, but she decided to take advantage of the Spear Cretin's effect, reviving Nekogal #2 in attack mode. "Since it's still my Battle Phase," she said, "I'll use my Nekogal #2 to attack your new face down card!"

The cat girl sprinted forward, striking what turned out to be a second Spear Cretin. It was destroyed and both players were able to revive another monster. Dedi suddenly realized what Void's plan was. As she placed her own Invader of the Throne in defense mode, she knew he was bringing back another Spear Cretin. He was going to continue this until Graverobber's Retribution caused her to run out of life points!

"I see how this is going to be…you're very clever, boy," she said, "I'm afraid I have to end my turn here."

Void's eyes widened. She had figured out his strategy more quickly than he had ever expected, but it made little difference anymore. He ignored her complement and drew another card (Vengeful Bog Spirit) "I'll activate the magic card Vengeful Bog Spirit!" Two ghostly old figures draped in pale red clothing appeared on the field, floating around the two duelists, "This continuous magic card will stop all monster summoned to the field from now on will not be able to attack on the turn that they are summoned. Now, my Graverobber will take his vengeance out upon you once more!"

Dedi watched as her life points deteriorated further, down to just 150, and drew a card nervously (Insect Barrier). She nearly fell over in shock, but quickly composed herself. This card did her no good at all. Yugi must have missed taking it out of the deck. She sighed, and wracked her brain for something to do. Her two defense monsters (Invader of the Throne, and Princess of Tsurugi) both had effects. This was her last turn, so she might as well use them. "I'll activate the Princess of Tsurugi, which causes you to lose 500 points for every magic card you have on the field!"

The blonde-haired girl in a pink robe appeared on the field. With a quick wrist movement, her ninja _Shuriken_ shot out, vanishing in little electric explosions as they reached Void. The score changed to Void: 350 - Dedi: 350.

"Next, I'll flip up Invader of the Throne, whose position I can switch with a monster of yours," she said. Yet another blonde-haired woman, this time, lounging in a throne that didn't belong to her, appeared on the field. In a brief flash, she switched spots with the face-down Spear Cretin. Dedi smiled, "Now, Dark Magician Girl! Destroy Invader of the Throne!"

The Dark Magician Girl waved her staff again and Invader of the throne was destroyed. Void's life points dropped to zero. The holograms all vanished and Dedi wiped the sweat off of her forehead with the sleeve of her cloak. It was over.

Void's body was wracked with pain as portions of his life force died along with his monsters and his magic cards. Dropping to his knees, the failed Eliminator gasped for breath, but only seemed to breathe out energy instead of bring it in. 

The recovery process from the duel would take several hours; hours in which he would be weak and helpless. Jetsu's vengeance would be swift, he could count on that. Feeling the tiny vial of poison that he had brought along with him in his pocket, the 18-year-old raised his head to his former opponent. There was nothing worth living for anymore: he had no place to go, no energy, no friends, and no time. Life had never been much good anyway… "I… congratulate you… my Queen." Raising the tiny, corked bulb from out of nowhere, he popped the top off and held it up like a toast, "May you triumph against my master…" 

Dedi had already been starting towards the boy, and when she saw the vial, flew to him like lightning, gripping his hand tightly, "What do you think you're doing??" she cried, "One loss isn't worth killing yourself over!!"

"WHAT???" cried the others.

"Kill himself??" Joey said.

"That vial must have cyanide in it!" Tea gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth.

Yugi had already started running towards the former opponents. _Lord Jetsu must be really horrible if one of his own faithful servants would rather commit suicide than admit failure_, he thought sadly. He reached the pair of them just as the void started speaking again.

"You don't understand…" he said weakly, wanting to pull away from Dedi but not having the strength to, "There's nothing for me now…this duel…was all that mattered…"

"Don't talk like that," Dedi said, prying the tiny glass out of his hand and putting it in her own pocket. She gripped him by the shoulders and pulled him to her, letting his head rest on her shoulder. "We'll get you away from here," she said tenderly, "We'll find you're real parents…get you to a good doctor…it'll be alright, you'll see…"

"Why…?" Void said, his voice choked with tears, "Why are you doing this…? If I'd had the power, I'd have killed you in an instant…I don't deserve this…I…" he swallowed, "I've never been held before…"

Dedi rocked him gently back and forth, her arms still tightly around him. "We're a product of our environment, they say," she said, "You did what you were taught…I do what my heart tells me, and nothing else. I find that's the best way to live."

In barely a whisper, Void murmured, "Thank you…Mother…" and then slipped into unconsciousness. Dedi's eyes grew wide with his final words, and then she nearly dissolved into tears herself. How many years had she prayed to the gods to bless her with a child? Had it truly taken a millennium for them to hear her?

"What do we do now?" she heard Yugi ask and looked up. 

"Get him to a hospital," she said, "That's all we can do for now."

The others had gathered around by now, and Joey and Tristan took Void between them, slinging his arms over their shoulders and holding him up. As they headed off, the crowd parted for them, looking on in silent confusion. 


	23. Chapter 23 The Tenth Duel: The Longest F...

A/N: Okay!! Summer Vacation starts tomorrow, so hopefully, we'll get around to everything we've been meaning to do, i.e. R&R your story, Time Mage, and bring you all more frequent updates with this story. We had a bunch of this section written already, a long while ago, and we've been going through it now, realizing that it's crap, and trudging through it all, fixing it. Anyway, sorry for all the delays and such, but I had Finals, and Shaun had end-of-school work to do as well. We promise we'll try to be better organized now. lol.

* * *

Chapter 23

"The Tenth Duel: The Longest Fall…"

The hospital was quiet when they arrived, and the nurses were happy to help. They diagnosed Void with heat stroke, and took him away. Dedi and Yugi stood in the hallway, watching as he was rolled away on a stretcher. Yugi looked up at Dedi, almost surprised at how shaken she seemed. "That was a good thing you did…" he told her quietly.

"I agree," Yami (in his spirit form) added, from the other side of Yugi. 

Dedi started to reply, when another voice interrupted her, "I though so too." They all turned to see Tsuki, in spirit form, standing on the opposite side of Dedi, smiling at them.

"Tsuki!" Dedi gasped, "How long have you been here?"

"Since the start of the duel…" Tsuki said, "It was the strangest thing, but it finally made everything make sense." The young girl turned shining eyes on Dedi, "I know who you are now…and how you're the one who helps me when I'm in trouble." She glanced past Dedi towards the boys and added, "Now I know why Yugi seems different sometimes, too."

Yugi grinned, "I'm sorry I didn't explain all this to you earlier."

"It's okay…" she said, "I kinda wanted to find out on my own."

"Living with a spirit isn't always easy, Tsuki," Yugi said, "It's a lot of work and things can get pretty crazy." Yami cuffed his counterpart on the shoulder playfully.

"Yeah…I figured that…" Tsuki said, "But if you can do it, then I can too!" She wrapped her arms around Dedi's mid-section, "Now I have a friend who won't ever leave me."

Touched, Dedi put her arms around the younger girl, holding her even though she wasn't physically there. "Thank you…" she said, "I'll try to be that for you."

"I know you won't let me down," Tsuki said, backing up a few steps, "I can feel it." In the next instant, Tsuki and Dedi had changed places, switching forms voluntarily for the first time. Then Tsuki took Yugi's hand in hers. "Come on…" she said, "Let's go."

Yugi nodded, and as they started to leave, an orderly came rushing up to them. "Miss! Wait!" They both turned as the orderly held out Void's gold chain with his Mini-items on it. "The patient awoke just for a moment and asked me to give these to you," he said, placing the chain in Tsuki's hand, "He said to tell you thank you again, as well."

Tsuki's slender fingers closed around the chain, and said, "Send a message to us when he wakes up, okay? I… know someone that'll wanna talk to him again…before we leave."

"Of course," the orderly nodded, and then trotted off down the hallway.

"Congratulations," Yugi said, "This means you're qualified for the finals now."

"Hey, yeah!" Tsuki said, grinning, "Wow!" She hooked Void's chain around her neck along with her own and then grabbed Yugi's hand again, "And it's all thanks to you."

"M-me…?" Yugi asked, blushing, as the two of them headed out again.

"Yeah," she nodded, "If you hadn't fixed my deck, I never could've won!"

"I guess that's true…" Yugi said.

A short ways behind the kids, Yami and Dedi were mimicking them, walking hand-in-hand. Dedi smiled, "It's so good to see her so happy."

"I know what you mean," Yami said, "Sometimes I think 'friend' isn't a strong enough word to describe how close you become with your counterpart."

Yugi glanced back for a moment and just smiled at Yami.

* * *

Meanwhile, across town in a very poorly kept (despite the best efforts of the cleaning crew that worked the hotel) room, Weevil Underwood reread the anonymous note that had been sent to him through the hotel staff:

_Mr. Underwood-_

_ It has come to my attention that you are the first duelist to qualify for the finals in my tournament. Although the rules state that the tournament pyramid won't be opened until tomorrow for qualifiers, I would like to present you with a special prize for your excellent dueling. Report to my grand chamber in top of the building by tomorrow or that which you treasure will be lost. Do not show this note to Rex. He need not know of this. I'll be waiting…_

_ -Lord Jetsu_

The boy refolded it and pocketed the scrap of yellowed paper. He had read it dozens of times now, but still couldn't decipher its meanings. The boy genius adjusted his glasses nervously, pushing them up on his nose, but the sweat that made his skin glisten in the afternoon heat did not allow for them to stay there. It was a habit that he had developed whenever under particular stress of having feelings of anxiety.

Why did the man behind this grand event want a private meeting with him? Weevil had considered telling Rex about the note several times, but despite his front to others, he really did care for Rex. Kind of like the brother he never had, and the bug duelist wished no harm befall his false brethren. He had a sinking suspicion that this had something to do with the woman he won his first item from. Her and her… magic? Illusions?

Weevil stood up and left the too-stiff couch and headed for the door. The note had been delivered last night, when he won his seventh item. So if he went now, it would be for the best. Besides, he thought with a slight shudder, what could happen? As he pushed the door open, the arthropod master heard a voice from behind him, "Hey! Where are you goin'? I thought you were done collecting items…"

The tired voice had drifted in from the bed rooms, but Rex's head was now sticking out of the doorway, one eyebrow raised at the retreating brown cloak of his closest childhood friend. Weevil said nothing for a moment, a strange premonition hitting him swiftly, almost causing him to lose his voice, "Nowhere… I'll see you later, Rex…" he pulled his hood up and left the room, leaving his half-drunk-on-root-beer comrade alone in their room.

* * * 

Jetsu sat alone in the highest chamber of the grand tournament pyramid. His men had constructed it down to the last detail, although this one was obviously more intricate than those actually made in the time of the great pharaohs and duel games. Only the top competitors playing for the highest stakes now remained in his tournament and the sooner they finished the better. 

There were three holders of millennium items here: the Pharaoh, his Queen, and a thief who possessed two of the fabled creations. Each was a powerful innovation, unique in its own way. As a holder of one of the items, he knew what unimaginable magic they could provide. The Millennium Shield was, however, not one of the more commonly known items. It, along with six others, came from a different time in the history of Ancient Egypt, after the time of the legendary pharaoh, in a time when the collapse of Egypt to the Greeks was imminent and the final powers had to be sealed away as well, so their might would not be unleashed upon the other countries through the hands of the ancient Greeks. These final pieces of magic were left to be uncovered as well. If these more modern powers were to be combined with their older cousins, their powers together would be tremendous. With the Shield's protection, there was nothing that could stop him from removing the items from the hands of mere children. 

A rap on the door interrupted his thoughts. His calm voice filled the room, "Come in."

The door swung open and Vitani stepped inside. "He has arrived, Master. He's awaiting you in the main entrance."

"Excellent," Jetsu said, getting to his feet swiftly, "Have my evening meal prepared as usual, Vitani," he said as he strode past her, "This shouldn't take long."

"Yes, Master," she said, bowing deeply and then exiting the chamber after her lord.

* * *

Weevil stood in the lobby of the huge pyramid, glancing around at the torch lit walls warily. All of a sudden, he was seriously wishing he hadn't come at all. He hadn't trusted the cryptic note to begin with, so why was he here?? 

His nervous fidgeting was interrupted by footsteps approaching. In mere seconds, a young woman with short blonde hair had appeared out of the darkness of one of the surrounding corridors. She was dressed in a crème colored cloak and the symbol of a gold shield shone on her chest. "Mr. Underwood," she said, bowing slightly, "My master has been expecting you. I am Vitani, the tournament coordinator. If you'll come with me, I will take you to my master."

He nodded grimly, expecting as much. However, some part of him still wanted to believe that this was just a fun gathering of card players together and Weevil spoke before he could be convinced to move, "The note said there'd be some sort of prize…"

"This is it," Vitani said, smiling at him, "A private audience with my master. I must say, he is very anxious to meet you. Now follow me, and stay close. It's very easy to get lost in the pyramid."

* * *

Weevil now stood alone in the middle of the top chamber in the pyramid, a single light shining down, fixated on him. He glanced around, surveying his new surroundings. A voice broke through his thoughts, seemingly coming from nowhere, and yet everywhere at the same time, "Welcome, duelist, to the grand chamber. I've been waiting for you…"

Weevil didn't flinch at the sound that rippled through the room, but his eyes began to dart about, trying to locate the sound, "Who are you? I came, just like you asked! Now, what is it you want?"

Chuckling filled the room, "Who am I? I am Lord Jetsu, overseer and creator of this tournament that you have spent the last several days competing in. And as for what I want…" A spotlight flashed on, revealing a figure clad completely in a sparkling black armor, and holding a golden shield, with red markings filling up the middle of the shield and a strange golden eye in the middle. His face was hidden by a helmet of the same shining black metal, "I would like to duel with you."

Weevil was taken aback by this strange new figure. What kind of normal person wore that type of outfit anymore? Normal? Maybe that was the word that threw off that statement… He gulped and nodded, once again placing his deck in the slot, allowing the machine to shuffle it, and it launched its holo-projectors around the room.

The other pulled out his deck, and followed suit. In unison, their voices echoed around the room, "Duel," 

The older man called out to the boy, "You may begin this duel. I did, after all, challenge you." 

Weevil drew his opening hand (DNA Surgery, Parasite Paraside, Killer Needle, Laser Cannon Armor, Soldier Ant, and Ant Reproduction) and boldly announced his move, "I play the Killer Needle in attack mode, equipped with Laser Cannon Armor (1500/1300)!" The large yellow-jacket appeared with a large, metallic ray gun attached to its back and buzzed noisily in front of Weevil, who had selected another card from his hand, "And I'll lay one card face-down (DNA Surgery) for later…"

The knight drew his cards (Exodia the Forbidden One, Jar of Greed, La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp, Revival Jam, Graceful Charity, and Nightmare Steel Cage) and watched as Weevil began to sweat. His shield began to glow silently, and placed a card into one of his monster slots, "I play La Jinn, the Mystical Genie of the Lamp in attack mode (1800/1000), and use him to destroy your Killer Needle." Jetsu watched as his magical genie was summoned onto the field and unleashed a blast of magical energy. The energy smashed into the Killer Needle, breaking it into a thousand pieces. But instead of disappearing after it hit the monster, it continued on its course, and smashed right into Weevil.

The bug brawler cried out in anguish and fell to his hands and knees. What had happened? Sitting back, Weevil felt something warm trickle down the side of his face. He went to brush it away, and the child's fingers came back slick with blood. Eyes wide, he slowly stood back up, gaping at La Jinn and his master.

Behind his helmet, the man smiled, "Surprised? This is much more than just a simple game for fun, you know. You just lost 300 Life Points and every single one was drawn from your blood. That was a minor blow, which was quite fortunate for you. As the game progresses, our life points will get lower… and lower… until someone reaches zero. Can you guess what happens then?" 

Weevil said nothing and struggled back to his feet, using anger to mask his feelings of dread and despair, "Just finish your move!"

A cold, short laugh emitted from inside the dark, metallic head covering that masked the self-appointed Lord Jetsu, "Very well, I'll lay one card face-down (Jar of Greed) and end my turn."

Weevil carefully selected his next card (Dark Piercing Light), "I'll lay this one monster face-down (Soldier Ant (500/1200)), but use the Dark Piercing Light magic card to reveal it!" The bright light swept through the dim room and exposed his simple, green ant. The bug master grinned and his shifty eyes narrowed slightly, "Then I'll use the card Ant Reproduction to create an ant colony of my insects!" Very rapidly, his one ant became ten, breaking the limit of five monsters per side. It was a simple matter to do: two ants per one monster space. It was a great defensive shield for desperate times.

The blue-haired boy continued to smirk at the much older duelist facing him, trying his best to ignore the slight trickle of blood that was matting a bit of his hair to the side of his head, "Let's see your mighty La Jinn defeat these 'pests'! HA!"

Jetsu ignored the child; such banter was a waste of time. However, this defensive move had played right into the master's hands. La Jinn was a deception. While his single powerful monster would make his opponent believe that his deck was a typical beat-down type, the game would slow down and allow for him to slowly gather the needed pieces of his puzzle… He picked up his next card in his 40-card deck (Sangan), "I activate the Jar of Greed, which allows me to draw another card (Backup Soldier)" The purple rimmed card revealed his metallic jar card, which disappeared now that he had his new card. The black gloved right appendage placed an additional card on the field, "And I set a monster (Sangan (1000/600)), before I attack again with my mighty fiend." One of the Soldier Ants was enveloped in another wave of magical energies.

The boy started to fiddle with his glasses but stopped himself and selected a card (Javelin Beetle Pact). He grimaced worriedly. The Ant Reproduction card would destroy his Soldier Ant clones within two turns, because he had too many monsters on the field, so he had to use them up as fast as he could, "I pass this turn."

Jetsu drew another card (Cold Wave), "I activate the magic card Cold Wave, which will render all magic and trap cards useless for one turn!" Immediately, the ants reverted back down to a single insect, much to Weevil's dismay. The knight moved another card and placed a monster down on the field, "Next, I summon Revival Jam (1500/500) in Attack mode, and switch my Sangan into attack mode!" The furry, green-limbed creature revealed itself and the blue, nearly shapeless blob appeared right next to it.

Raising an armored arm, the black knight pointed directly at Weevil, "Revival Jam, attack that pitiful defense of his…" With a blur of speed, the blue plasma monster rushed forward and wrapped itself around the ant, slowly squeezing the life out of Weevil's only defense. With a short laugh, another order was barked out, "La Jinn, Sangan, attack now!"

Two simultaneous attacks smashed into Weevil at once. As his life points dropped down to 900, the insect duelist didn't even have time to yell. He was barely able to stand; his head was swimming so badly. He felt something hot and salty trickling into his mouth and knew he was bleeding from somewhere on his face. His glasses were cracked, not that he could see very clearly with them anyway. He wobbled slightly, feeling nauseous and realized the searing pain that was coming out of his chest. Weevil vaguely became conscious of the fact that one of his ribs must have been broken.

Off on the sidelines in the shadow, stood Vitani, watching everything. Her own stomach was doing summersaults as she watched, and she had to fight the urge to cry out for her master to stop. If she did, surely he would send his monsters on her. She found her heart (which had been dormant for so long) going out to the boy, admiring his bravery. She turned her head away, wishing Jetsu would hurry up and get it over with.

The boy spat several times, trying to get the taste of his own liquids purged from his mouth. He drew a card (Cocoon of Evolution) and grinned slightly, "I'll set… a monster in defense mode (Cocoon of Evolution (0/2000))…"

The Egyptian lord drew another card (Right Leg of The Forbidden One), "First, Graceful Charity, which allows for me to draw three new cards…" He slipped three cards from his deck (Left Leg of the Forbidden One, Millennium Golem, Monster Reborn), then pushed two (Nightmare Steel Cage and Millennium Golem) of his older ones into the graveyard, "…In exchange for two cards previously in my hand. Now, with this next magic card, the Monster Reborn, I'll revive my lost Millennium Golem (2000/2200) in attack mode!" 

The large stone warrior with the Millennium eye symbol on its squarish head appeared on Jetsu's side of the field. With a simple gesture the monster rushed forward, shaking the ground with each step, "My rock warrior will attack your only defense and then-"

Weevil would have laughed, but he was in too much pain. He could only get some grim satisfaction when the Cocoon of Evolution revealed itself and stopped the attack. He moved to draw a card, but a searing pain ripped through the child's right arm as he did so. After another try, he managed to wrestle the next card free from the machine (Javelin Beetle). The ground at his feet was scattered with tiny puddles that were forming from his blood, and the boy coughed up a bit more violently, which dropped him to his knees. Lifting his head up he addressed Jetsu again, "I pass again…"

The knight's cold laughter filled the room, "Not putting up much of a fight, are you? I though I would get more challenge out of the regional champion, Mr. Underwood. But if this is the best that you can do… I really do wonder just how weak the Queen is…" he picked up his card (Millennium Shield), then placed it on the field, "I sacrifice my Revival Jam for a monster in defense (Millennium Shield (0/3000)) and end my turn.)

Weevil grabbed another card, still wincing in pain (Gokibore), "I play… the Javelin Beetle Pact, which sacrifices my monsters in my hand and on the field for… Javelin Beetle (2450/2550)!" He had to pause every so often now, to catch his breath. Talking for too long would wear him down even further. 

As he was about to declare his attack, something caught his eye. There was that women, watching them passively, coldly. How could she just stand there? How could anyone ignore the plain and simple fact that this man he faced was just a cruel, sadistic maniac? She worked for him? Why?? The bug brawler hoped that he had put enough hatred into the look that he gave her, as he began to struggle back to his feet, feeling too strange kneeling in his own bodily liquid substance, "Javelin Beetle! Attack Sangan now!"

A brief wave of surprise crossed Vitani's face as the boy glared at her. She found herself turning her eyes to the floor, unable to watch him any longer. More than anything she wanted to flee from the area, but her master was sure to see it as a sign of weakness…and he would punish her. It was her concern for her own hide that kept her in her place. And she was ashamed of it.

The powerful blue beetle destroyed the small creature, and continued onward towards the powerful overlord. Suddenly, the golden shield on his arm began to glow brightly, and he raised it above him. The insect monster bounced off of the safeguard and hit the ground in front of Weevil, where it slowly rose again. 

Jetsu's life points dropped sharply: Weevil: 900 – Jetsu: 2550. The master drew his card from Sangan's effect (Right Arm of the Forbidden One) then drew his card for the turn. Before he had a chance to look at it, he heard a small bout of laughter from his opponent. Raising an amused eyebrow (though the boy wouldn't be able to see), he spoke softly, "What's so funny?"

The insect duelist grinned, hiding the pain he was still in, "Your deck has no strategy! You can't possibly hope to defeat my Javelin Beetle. I'm going to wipe the floor with you, and then force you to end this tournament with me as the victor!"

Jetsu laughed once more, grinning savagely behind his mask, and began placing the pieces that he had collected on the field. His deep voice filled the room as he announced, "I summon Exodia the Forbidden One!" His hysterical laughter filled the room, "To think that you defeated the holder of the Millennium Scale! Laughable! Extracting that Item won't be any trouble at all! Now, Mr. Underwood, enjoy your flight!"

"No, it can't be… I had it won… And what do you mean flight?" Weevil slumped over in disbelief. Exodia!!! The unstoppable Exodia was going to attack him!!!!!!! The great Egyptian beast raised its arms, and fired its prevailing blast, disintegrating his mighty Beetle, and carrying him, Weevil Underwood, right out of the top of the pyramid in a blaze of orange fury, leaving a trail of blood on the floor up to the hole that was made in the wall.

The evil overlord watched as his victim flew through the air. Now, to claim his prize. The Millennium Shield glowed impossibly for but an instant, then stopped. One more mind in the Shadow Realm; every one increased his power, even the unfocused energies of a child would help him. If that boy survived, he would not wake, no matter what the fools in Al Karnak tried.

Jetsu smiled coldly behind his helmet, then turned and strode out of the room, "Vitani!"

"Master" she said, stepping out of her shadowed place and hurrying after him into the corridor, "Was all that truly necessary? The boy was clearly no threat. You could have taken his soul easily enough without –"

Jetsu stopped short and wheeled on her. Through the slit in the helmet, his dark eyes bore right through her and she swallowed hard. "Was that…questioning…I heard…?" he asked calmly.

Vitani could feel herself shaking under her cloak, knew he could sense her fear. "No, master…" she said after a moment, bowing her head, "It was nothing…"

"Too right, girl," he said cuffing her lightly on the chin, "Nothing…just like you." He turned with a swirl of his cape and strode off, "Now get the men to repair the tip of the pyramid!"

Vitani slowly headed off in the opposite direction. She'd barely made it around the nearest corner when she fell to her knees and was violently ill. All the fear, anger and revulsion consumed her and for what seemed like forever, she could not raise herself up again. 


	24. Chapter 24 Aftermath: Hope

A Note From the Authors: To everyone!! Weevil is not dead!! You will see this in this next chapter! And he's not even out of the story - but we won't spoil anything for later. Also, we don't intend to kill Kaiba. In fact, we don't intend to kill ANYONE (well...except maybe bad guys...). 

One more thing. Please stop asking us about not saying the card names all the time in our duels. We do this because, unlike in the show, we don't have pretty pictures to show you what's going on. This is just an easy way of keeping track of everything that's going on in the duels (which are sometimes very long and complicated). 

And about the "Blood Issue", we're afraid you'll have to prepare yourselves for more. There will probably BE more. Jetsu is unlike the other Yu-Gi-Oh villains. He's truly evil, and to demonstrate this, things will have to be a little violent. But we remind you: no good guys will die. Keep that in mind. ^_^

* * *

Chapter 24

"Aftermath: Hope"

Later that afternoon, the whole troupe was gathered at what had become their favorite café in Al Karnak, sipping iced-tea. Each duelist had their chains of items laid out on the table, and even in the shade, the mini-items sparkled. 

"Well…" Yugi said, "We really did it. We all qualified."

"Now all that's left is the finals," Joey said.

Bakura sighed, and hooked his chain back around his neck, where it settled, clinking against the Millennium Ring. 

"Hey…" Yugi said, sensing his friend's anxiety, "Cheer up, Bakura. You'll do fine in the finals. We all will."

"You bet we will," Mai said, stirring around the ice in her glass with her straw, "I expect a good fight from all of you, ya hear? None of this holding back, agreed?"

"Definitely," Joey nodded, as he and Mai exchanged a look that no one noticed.

"And now that you're all qualified, we have the rest of the day to just hang out!" Tea said.

"I dunno…" Tristan said, "I was thinkin' I might try to see if I could qualify in the next few hours…"

Joey nearly spit out his drink. "BAH!! You've gotta be kindin'!! You couldn't duel yer way out of a wet paper bag!"

Tristan proceeded to tackle Joey, and the two exchanged some rather choice words about each other's intelligence, their questionable ancestry, and what they believed would really be appropriate names for each other. 

The red-yellow-and-black-haired boy sighed. Those two could never just let well enough alone, could they? At that moment, a voice interrupted his thoughts, "Yugi?"

He looked up and saw Bakura sitting alone across from him. The girls had gone to stop the boys from their brawl, and the quite, British teen was holding up his Ring, "My Ring's been acting very odd recently…"

"Really? How so? I mean, besides the usual, heh heh..."

"Well, it's been pointing at that pyramid for a while now, but now its also pointing eastward, as if something else is coming towards us…"

"Huh?" Yugi said, and sure enough, Bakura's Ring was pointing directly at the Pyramid, and another spoke was pointed off down the street. He glanced eastward, and a chill ran down his spine. _Who could it be…? _he thought, _Surly Jetsu isn't sending anyone else… _But he couldn't see anyone suspicious in the crowd. "I wonder what it means," he said.

"I suppose we'll have to wait and see…" Bakura said, tucking the Ring away again, "But it's always the waiting that kills me."

* * *

Out in the bazaar, a woman wrapped in a pure white, hooded cloak was walking the streets, a bag over one shoulder, and a suitcase in the opposite hand. Strands of raven black hair blew out from under the hood, and her ice blue eyes were hidden by dark sunglasses. She had traveled from her home country of Greece, so full of greenery, to this desolate wasteland in pursuit of her enemy. She was sure Jetsu was here, she could sense him.

Suddenly, she felt a huge surge of energy and heard a deafening explosion. As the crowd went into a slight panic, the woman looked up, and had to shield her eyes from a bright orange light emitting from the top of the tallest pyramid. "Amazing…" she said, "Such power I have not felt in a long time…"

Then she spotted something being flung from the orange light. It started as a small black dot against the red evening sky, but as it grew closer, the form began to take shape. She realized at the last instant that it was a human figure! 

Dropping her suitcase and bag, she leapt up, caught the figure a good fifty feet in the air, then hit the dusty ground in a crouched position, rolling back up to her feet, the small figure held tightly against her chest. 

She took a second to catch her breath and then looked down at the figure. It was a small boy, no older than fourteen. He had blue hair and broken glasses, and was bleeding substantially from many parts of his body. She clenched her teeth, and cursed in Greek. This was Jetsu's work. No one else would dare do this to a child. Gravely, she bent down, picked up her suitcase and bag. She began walking off, in search of the nearest infirmary.

* * *

"What the hell was that?!" Tristan yelled, looking up from his spot on the ground, where he and Joey had still been fighting.

"Where'd that explosion come from?" Joey asked, pulling his face out of the dirt.

"The Tournament Pyramid!" Yugi cried, "The top's completely blown off!!"

"How on earth–?!?" Mai exclaimed.

"And look at that!" Bakura yelled suddenly, pointing up in the sky, and they all watched a figure jump fifty feet in the air to catch another figure that had been falling from the top of the pyramid. Bakura let out a soft whistle, very impressed.

"Hey!" Joey called, scrambling to his feet and running over to the person, with the other's following quickly, "Hey, mister! How'd ya do that?"

The figure, who had been walking off, turned back to look at them.

"Ahh! It's a girl!" Tristan cried, skidding to a stop behind Joey.

"Please," the woman said, "I have to get this boy to a medical facility. Do you know where one is?"

"Hold on!" Yugi cried, pushing between the older boys, "That's WEEVIL!!"

"What?!" said Joey, "Hey, you're right!"

Tea clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, and Tsuki hid her face in the folds of Mai's cloak.

"What happened to him?" Bakura said.

The woman frowned, "Jetsu," she said.

"How do you know…?" Yugi started.

"C'mon, Yug," Joey cut him off, "There'll be plenty of time for questions after we get Weevil to a hospital."

"Right," Yugi said.

"There's a hospital not far from here," Tea said, "Let's hurry."

And they all began the trek to the Hospital. As they walked, Yugi kept glancing up at Weevil, unconscious and bleeding in the woman's arms. And suddenly, he was afraid. Weevil must have been in that explosion at the top of the pyramid. But what exactly had caused it? He felt Yami's presence at his arm and felt much better.

The walk didn't take long, and soon they were all inside the Hospital. Yugi vouched for Weevil's ID and they all watched as the boy was wheeled off on a gurney. 

"Do you think we should stick around?" Tea asked, as the group stood awkwardly in the lobby.

"Maybe someone should go and find Rex Raptor," Tristan suggested, "Those two are always together. He'd probably want to know what's happened."

"Good idea," Joey said, "We can go do it, Tristan."

"Huh? Oh, ok, I guess," Tristan nodded, "We'll be back guys."

"Don't worry about us," Yugi said, "We're not going anywhere."

So the two teens left and the others all sat down to wait. Bakura found himself next to the mysterious woman in the cloak, and found that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. After a moment, she turned, lowered her hood and removed her sunglasses, meeting his gaze with a piercing one of her own. "Is there something I can do for you?" she asked him.

Startled, Bakura quickly looked away, blushing, "No, sorry…I didn't mean to stare."

"But yet…there's something on your mind, isn't there?" she guessed.

"Well, I was just wondering," Bakura said, "How did you make that catch…? It was amazing."

"Thank you," she said, smiling. Bakura couldn't help but notice what a nice smile she had. "I've been trained in the martial arts since I was a little girl," she went on to say, "So a leap like that was simple."

"That's very impressive, Miss…uh…" Bakura's voice trailed off.

"Icaria," she said, "But you can call me Athena. And what can I call you?"

"Bakura," he said quickly, "It's nice to meet you, even though it was under such strange circumstances."

"My life is nothing but strange circumstances," Athena said, "I find it keeps me interested."

"Oh," he said, "By the way…how do you know Jetsu?"

"That's what I was going to ask before," Yugi said, and all eyes suddenly turned towards Athena.

Her pretty features turned cold as she frowned, "I have been chasing Jetsu for nearly two years. He is a longtime enemy of my family, and the task of dealing with him has just recently come to me."

"That's a huge responsibility…" Tea said, "How old are you, anyway?" 

"Twenty," Athena said simply.

"So that means you've been chasing Jetsu since you were 18," Yugi said.

"That's right," she said, "But how is it that _you _know of him…?"

"Well…" Yugi sighed and briefly explained how Jetsu had revealed himself to them through his letters and eliminators. In conclusion he added, "He knows about the Spirit of my Millennium Puzzle, but we're not sure –"

He was suddenly cut off as the dark haired girl fell to her knees in front of him, clutching the Puzzle in both hands. "I can't believe it…" she breathed, "The power of the Pharaoh right here…I should have known you and he would be here…"

Surprised, Yugi felt himself go slightly red, "Umm… It's really alright, you don't have to do that…" he could feel the eyes of his friends boring into him, and others were starting to stare as well. It was times like this that made Yugi wish he was the invisible one…

Athena glanced around, and blushed as well. "Forgive me," she mumbled, standing up and dusting herself off, "This is the first time I've ever encountered another Millennium Item holder besides Jetsu."

"I'm not the only one here," Yugi said. He motioned to Tsuki and she pulled the Scale out of her backpack. Athena put a hand on her heart, astonished. 

Then Bakura pulled his Ring out from under his shirt and it strangely began to point in many different directions, including right at her! "Athena? Do you…?"

"Possess a Millennium Item?" she finished his sentence, "Yes, I do."

* * *

Rex Raptor glanced at his watch for the hundredth time that afternoon. Weevil hadn't said where he'd been going, but he'd been gone for hours! Rex was beginning to get worried. Weevil's departure was kind of fuzzy in Rex's mind, but he remembered that something about his best friend hadn't been quite right. He leaned against the back of the couch, his head throbbing. Being hung-over and trying to think at the same time was never an easy thing. 

Suddenly, there was a tremendous noise (in actuality, it was just someone knocking at the door, but everything seemed so loud right now…) and the dino duelist groaned as he sat up again. Stumbling over to the door, the fixed his winter hat on his head and opened up the door, "Whada ya wa-" Rex cut off in mid sentence and stared at the two teens in his doorway, mildly surprised.

"Rex!" Joey said, panting, "You gotta come with us – quick!"

"What??" Rex said, cocking an eyebrow, "I'm not goin' anywhere with _you, _Wheeler."

Joey growled and lunged for the younger boy, but Tristan held him back, telling Rex, "It's Underwood, Raptor! He's hurt bad! You gotta come back to the hospital with us!"

Rex ignored Joey, now completely focused on Tristan, "What? How?" Clenching his fists together, he snarled angrily at them, "What'd you do?"

"It wasn't _us!!_" Joey cried, "He got blasted outta the top of the Tournament Pyramid!! If you'll just come with us, you'll see."

Rex hesitated, unsure. Then his eyes locked with Joey's, and a thought struck him, _He's serious… _"Alright," he said, grabbing the keys to the room, "Let's go."

Then all three boys dashed off down the hallway.


	25. Chapter 25 Shadow Realm Confrontation

A Note From the Authors: Boy...sorry about how long it took to update this. First, there was "Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix" to read, and even though that only took four day, this chapter proved to be a difficult one. The reason?? It was already written! But it was written so long ago that it hardly made any sense and we had to go through and revise the whole thing, which was EXTREMELY boring, so we were dragging our feet as we worked on it. The actual chapter isn't boring, don't worry!

* * *

Chapter 25

"Shadow Realm Confrontation"

"You've got a Millennium Item, too?" Mai asked, "But how's that possible? I thought there were only seven items." 

"Yeah…" Tea agreed, "And as far as we know, all the Items are accounted for."

"There are seven original Items, yes," Athena said, "but in the days after the Almighty Pharaoh's passing, the Ancient Grecian Army invaded and conquered Egypt. In an attempt to secure their legacy, the High Priests sealed away what powers they had left into seven more Items." Then she reached into her bag, which she'd set on the floor at her feet and pulled out a beautiful gold hourglass, "My ancestor was a leader of that Greek Army, and took possession of the Hourglass after the invasion."

She handed the Hourglass to Yugi and he examined it curiously. "It has the Millennium symbol on it, alright," he said, "I wonder…does Jetsu hold one of these new Items?"

Before Athena could answer, the doors to the waiting room burst open and Joey, Tristan and Rex came running in.

"That was fast," Bakura observed.

"Where is he??" Rex demanded.

The receptionist glanced up from her computer, "Oh, are you a relative of Mr. Underwood?"

Rex hesitated, not knowing how to answer. If he lied and they found out, they'd probably throw him out! But if he told the truth, they wouldn't let him in at all.

"He's as close to family as Weevil's got," Joey said, and Rex glanced up at him, shocked, "Ya gotta let 'im in."

The receptionist smiled knowingly and stood up. "Of course. Follow me, and I'll show you where your friend is."

Rex started towards her, and then turned back to look at Joey. He didn't say anything, but the look of gratitude in his eyes was enough for Joey. He gave the younger boy a thumbs-up and then Rex followed the receptionist down the corridor. 

"So…" Tristan said turning to the group, "What'd we miss?"

"Not too much," Yugi said, "Athena was just showing us her Millennium Hourglass." He held it up as both of the older boys leaned in for a better look.

"And she was about to tell us whether or not Jetsu had a new Millennium Item," Bakura said.

"New?" Joey echoed.

"Made after the Grecians invaded Egypt," Mai said.

"Ahh…" Joey nodded.

Athena couldn't help but smile, despite the grave situation. These people were so good-natured, it was hard not to let their positive outlook wear off on her. "I was about to say, that Jetsu does indeed hold an Item: the Millennium Shield."

"That's the symbol his eliminators wear!" Yugi said, "At least that makes sense now."

"Did Jetsu's predecessors get hold of the Shield during the Grecian invasion as well?" Mai asked.

Athena shook her head, "No. Jetsu is of Egyptian descent. His ancestor was one of the High Priests who created the new Items. But when the Greeks invaded, instead of hiding the Shield with the other items, he took possession of it and fled. From then on it has been passed down in his family, each younger generation becoming more power hungry than the last."

"We've seen that before," Joey said grimly, "But it doesn't explain why he would send Weevil plungin' to his death outta the top of that Pyramid."

"That's right…" Tea said, "Weevil doesn't own a Millennium Item, so what would Jetsu want with him?"

"A test of his strength," Athena said, "And perhaps a warning to all of you. The Millennium Shield not only protects him, but it allows him to collect the souls of those he defeats in battle. The more souls he possesses, the stronger he becomes. I fear the boy, Weevil, will not wake, no matter what the doctors here try to do…" Sadly, she hung her head.

"If Jetsu were defeated, would all the souls be set free?" Yugi asked.

Athena looked up, considering this. "I don't know…" she said, "If the Shield were broken, perhaps. Why do you ask?"

Yugi was pale, but he swallowed hard and set his jaw. "Because…I'm going to help you defeat him in the finals tomorrow!" he declared.

This caused quite an uproar amongst his friends.

"WHAT?!" Joey cried, "You can't be serious, Yug!"

"You saw what happened to Weevil!" Tea cried, "Why would you want to put yourself in danger like that??"  
"I know it's dangerous," Yugi said, "It's probably the most risky thing I've ever done, but…Athena has a cause that I believe in. And I can't let her face it alone."

Athena smiled, her eyes sparkling. The others all gave each other guilty glances. 

Joey stood up straight and cleared his throat. "If that's the way it's gonna be, then there's no way I'm gonna be sittin' on the sidelines!"

"I didn't come all this way to sit back and let you save the world without me," Mai said, standing up and taking Joey's arm, "You can count me in too." 

"That goes for me as well," Bakura said and everyone turned towards him, surprised, "I know the Spirit of my Ring has caused you all a lot of trouble in the past – let me make it up to you!" Athena smiled at him and the British boy felt the color rise in his face.

Yugi glanced over to his right, and nodded at thin air. "Athena…" he said, "Yami, the Spirit of the Puzzle, would like to speak to you."

The Greek girl turned back towards Yugi. "Of course," she said, eagerly awaiting her chance to be in the presence of the greatest ruler of the ancient times that the world ever knew.

With a bright flash of light Yugi was replaced by his taller, more mature counterpart, who eyed the Greek woman evenly, "First of all, I'll thank you for saving Weevil, because it's doubtful that you'll ever get the courtesy from him. Before we discuss the more important matters," he paused, eyeing the others besides his group in the room, some of whom looked to be spying looks at them every so often, "Perhaps we should take this somewhere where we may speak more openly…" He wondered vaguely if she even knew about the Shadow Realm, but as an Item holder this should be common knowledge.

"An excellent suggestion," she said, "The Shadow Realm would be a suitable location, am I right?" Then she turned the Hourglass upside-down and the whole room seemed to melt around them. Before they even knew what had happened, they'd been transported into the infinite blackness that was the Shadow Realm. 

The Hourglass was now at least ten feet tall and standing in a circle beside it was: Athena, Yugi, Yami, Dedi, Tsuki, Bakura, Yami Bakura, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and Mai. 

Yami Bakura had been awakened, as the Shadow Realm was often his temporary home. Confused, he looked around, trying to figure why his solitude had been so rudely intruded upon. Bakura noticed the movement and when he saw his other self, he cried out in surprise, "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Where the hell did _you_ come from??" Yami Bakura shot back.

"Why is **_he_** here??" Yami demanded, jerking a finger at Bakura's evil-half.

"AHHHH!" screamed Tsuki, clutching Dedi around the waist, "That's the guy that attacked me before!!"

"It's okay," Dedi said, patting the little girl on the head, "I won't let him hurt you."

"That's what you think, wench!" Yami Bakura snapped, glaring at Dedi.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Yugi cried over all the noise, unconsciously taking a few steps closer to Yami.

"If everyone would please **_calm down_**," Athena said loudly, "I'll try to explain!!"

Miraculously, everyone quieted. 

"Thank you," she said, "Now we have limited time," she gestured to the Hourglass, "When the sand drains through to the bottom, our time in this realm will be up, so please let me speak.

"Yami, I assure you I had no intention of awakening the Spirit of the Ring. But such is the consequence when bodies that host two souls are brought to the Shadow Realm, as you can clearly see," she said, waving a hand at Dedi and Tsuki. 

"I suppose we ought to tell _him _what's going on," Yami said, jerking his head angrily in Yami Bakura's direction, "Or he'll just end up getting in the way."

"What do you mean '_get in the way_'??" Yami Bakura demanded.

"I mean that you can't be trusted." The Spirit of the Puzzle told him flatly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Why would I want you to trust me??" Yami Bakura said, smirking snidely, "Is this another one of your 'let's-all-be-friends' kicks?"

"I wouldn't be making remarks right now. Your existence on this Earth hinges on what we learn of your willingness to _ cooperate_, thief." Yami glanced around at the others in the black realm, all of whom were giving the ancient cat burglar looks that were darker than the very Realm in which they stood in.

Yami Bakura snorted, and stuffed his hands into his pockets, "I don't see why I should. What's in it for me?"

"You'll help us," Yami said sternly, "Unless you want your home in the possession of Jetsu."

"Who?" Yami Bakura said innocently, cocking an eyebrow.

"Don't play dumb," Yami spat, "I know you can access Bakura's mind at will, so you can't tell be you haven't been keeping up with what's been happening on the living plane."

Yami Bakura said nothing, which Yami took to mean that he was right. He continued, "We all agree that Bakura would be a lot better off without you, so don't think we'll try to stop him from giving the Ring to Jetsu. If you value your host at all, you'll choose the right side."

Yami Bakura looked over at his counterpart. Bakura was staring at the floor, looking very hurt. He was the only Item bearer there who had a counterpart who would much rather control him than befriend him. There were plenty of times he'd woken up scared and alone, not knowing where he was or what he'd done. It was a horrible way to live, but he didn't seem to have much of a choice in the matter. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up, half-expecting to see Yami Bakura. But it was Athena, and she was smiling at him with a look of such pity that he was ashamed of himself and couldn't meet her gaze.

"Bakura," she said quietly, "As much as I hate Jetsu, I'd rather him have to live with this spirit than you."

"What?" Bakura said, looking up.

"WHAT?!?!" Yami Bakura cried, "Don't think you can get rid of me that easily!!"

"Oh, but we can," Yami said, "If you're not with us, you're against us. And as far as I'm concerned, Jetsu can do what he likes with you."

All eyes were now on Yami Bakura, who seemed to be wrestling with himself. At last, he muttered, "Fine."

"Good," Yami said, "It's agreed then. And we'll hold you to that, thief. Don't think Yugi and I forget all the times you've tried to steal the Puzzle."

"By the way, Bakura," Yugi said, "Do you still have Pegasus's Eye?"

"Oh! Yes, I think so," Bakura said, "Do we?" he asked Yami Bakura.

"Of course," he growled, "You don't think I'd give that away, do you?"

"Perhaps it's not a matter of if you want to, hmmm?" A voice came from out of nowhere and they all jumped slightly. 

A figure was walking towards them, melting out of the very infinite space. A man clad in armor as black as the very realm they resided in. A man that could only be Jetsu. He was dragging something large and white behind him.

"I hope that you don't find me rude for barging in on your little powwow here, but I couldn't help listening in on your conversation," Jetsu looked towards Athena, "Rather conspicuous place isn't it? Surely you should be more concerned about Mr. Underwood right now."

Athena swore in Greek and spat insultingly at his feet.

Jetsu ignored her, and held up the thing he was carrying, "Does anyone know what I should do with this?" The unconscious form of Shadi dangled several inches above the ground.

Yami gasped and took several steps forward, "Put him down! NOW!" 

Jetsu didn't need to look twice to recognize the one who'd spoken, "The Pharaoh of old? Put him down, you say? Certainly, my sovereign," Jetsu dropped Shadi, who landed in a heap at his feet, "But what do you intend to do with him? His body is safely in my pyramid as well as his item," Jetsu reached into his chest plate, and pulled out the sparkling Key that had once allowed Shadi to enter the pharaoh's very mind.

Yami cursed softly. Two items? Dealing with the Pegasus's Eye and Marik's Rod had been hard enough to deal with, but two? He watched as the knight began to slowly walk in a circle, looking at each one of them. They were now all surrounding Jetsu, but he showed no fear. 

When he reached Athena, he leaned in and spoke softly to her, "You're a failure. Throughout all of our history, none of my ancestors have ever managed to obtain another item. Your family was always there to stop us. But you're no match for me. I now possess the Key, and it'll only be a matter of time before all the Items here are under my control. My shadow powers have long surpassed yours. I don't know why you insist on this fruitless chase of yours." Enraged, Athena leapt at him, but Joey and Tristan intervened and held her back.

"You're nothing but a murderer and a thief," Yugi said angrily.

Jetsu stood up to his full height, towering over Yugi, "An interesting choice for a host, Yami. Much too underdeveloped to be of any use; Just a clumsy little boy." As Jetsu turned to see Bakura, Yugi backed up a few steps and looked at the ground, thoroughly humiliated.

Bakura took a step away in fear as Jetsu stopped in front of him, which made the madman laugh, "So you're the host for that despicable spirit of the Ring that the ancient scriptures speak of? HA HA HA!"

There was a blast of golden light that made everyone turn and see Yami Bakura firing magical energy from the Ring at Jetsu. In an instant, Jetsu had whipped around and raised the Millennium Shield. The light reflected off of the shield and slammed into evil Bakura at double speed, throwing him backwards. In the awkward silence that followed, Jetsu continued on his way, slowly making his way over to Dedi and Tsuki. Addressing Dedi, he chuckled slightly, "So you're the one that was unable to send the soul of the blue-haired boy to Shadow Realm?"

Dedi quickly pushed Tsuki behind her, shielding her from Jetsu's view. "You're a disgrace to the Egyptian people," she muttered.

Jetsu waved a dismissive hand, "At least, I am an Egyptian. Unlike some, I wasn't born in a third-world tribe, destined only to be a slave to work on the pyramids. My ancestor was appointed as one of the seven high priests of Egypt by your dear Yami's successor. He served Egypt, as did his son, and his son's son. I still retain many of the ancient writings from that time. I daresay that I am more of an Egyptian than a girl the pharaoh took pity on will ever be." 

Dedi wanted to leap at him as Athena had, but she felt Tsuki tighten her grip on her skirt and didn't move, but only cursed him in Egyptian. 

Jetsu smiled under his helmet and was about to reply, when a strong voice called out to him, "Enough! Turn and face me, you coward!" Jetsu coldly turned and walked towards a defiant Yami.

He stopped several yards away from the greatest Pharaoh of Egypt, who was fuming, "The tournament is drawing to its finale, King Yami…" A life-like image of Weevil appeared in front of Yami, smirking and confident. Yami's eyes widened in surprise; what was Weevil doing here? The bug master raised his right hand, and out of nowhere an army of insects appeared as well and swooped down upon Jetsu. Behind Jetsu, a large Egyptian beast stepped into the light. Exodia raised its arms and shot out its unstoppable beam of destruction. The blast incinerated the bugs and hit their master. The hallucination of Weevil let out a cry that made Yugi feel sick to his stomach as he watched, horrified. The flash of light ended after its impact with Weevil, and the smoke cleared, showing that there was nothing left. 

With a wave of his hand, Jetsu ended the illusion, "The preliminaries are over. I wonder, which of you will make it through the finals, and which will be… eliminated?" With that, Jetsu raised a hand, summoning up a wall of fire that engulfed him. When the flames vanished, he and Shadi's crumpled unconscious figure were gone.

For a long moment, everyone was silent, no one knowing what to say. Then the sand in the hourglass drew to the end of its descent. Athena glanced at it. "We're out of time," she said, "We have to return to the real world."

Once again, the background melted away, to reveal the Hospital lobby once more. A quick look around told them no time had passed outside.


	26. Chapter 26 The Morning Of

A Quick A/N: A few of you asked us a while ago what the complete set of New Millennium Items were. We've invented them now, so here they are:

1) Shield – steals souls, and emits powerful energy blasts, can block attacks from any one Millennium Item (normally it can't do all this stuff, but when fueled by the magic of other Items, it can)

2) Hourglass – freezes time in small amounts

3) Sword – depending on the user, cuts either the evil or good out of a person

4) Earrings (like the Kai's in DBZ have) – hypnosis

5) Cat (statue of one, with one eye) – transforms the holder into a feline (depending on the person, transformations range from kittens to saber-tooth tigers)

6) Staff – can summon up natural disasters on a moderate scale 

7) Mirror – if held up to someone, the holder takes on the outward appearance of that person, also can reflect the attacks of other Items

* * *

Chapter 26

"The Morning Of"

The rest of the day passed without further incident and the group hit the sack early, though none of them got very much sleep. Yugi spent half of his night worrying about the coming day. It wasn't the competition that struck fear in the heart of the Japanese youth, but the stakes that they would face. Yami was distant and quiet all night, reviewing the past day's events in his head, trying to think of a way to keep his friends out of danger while still freeing the trapped souls of Shadi and Weevil, but to no avail.

It was a solemn morning, and Yugi dressed and retrieved his dueling materials without a word to his counterpart. They both understood that there was nothing to say. The younger counterpart of the pharaoh quietly tiptoed over to Joey's bed, and gently began to shake his friend awake, "Hey… Joey! You have to get up! It's already 7:30 and the tournament starts at 10:00! We still have to go and check on Weevil and Void…"

With a groan and a stretch, the blonde-haired 17-year old awoke and sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes, "Mornin' Yug…"

Yugi smiled slightly, "Morning Joey."

The older boy put an arm around his friend, "Don't look so somber, pal! Everything'll be all right, you'll see. I promise…"

Yugi looked away, but felt his spirits rise slightly, "Thanks Joey."

Joey yawned loudly, "Don' mention it." He pulled his cloak messily over his head and struggled with the large piece of fabric for a moment, finally getting it over his head. His usually chaotic hair was even more frazzled than normal, but Yugi didn't say anything. Besides, it would probably be funnier if that sort of detail was brought up by Mai…

* * *

Ten minutes later, all four of the boys were downstairs at the breakfast buffet, and though Yugi thought he would throw up if he ate anything, the boy conceded that he was more likely to throw up just by watching Tristan and Joey eat. Bakura obviously had Yugi's mindset, and seemed to be nervously fingering his Ring every-so-often, and when the others moved on to the pancakes, he had to excuse his self to use the restroom.

"Ya know," said Tristan through a mouth-full of scrambled eggs, "You should really eat something, Yugi. You'll need all your strength for today…"

"He's right you know," said a familiar feminine voice, and the three boys glanced up as Mai, Tea and Tsuki slid into the booth, "Did the two bottomless pits leave any breakfast for the rest of us?" Mai asked.

Bakura, who still looked a bit nauseous, murmured, "No."

"Didn't think so," Mai said, grinning at Joey.

Joey swallowed hard, looking at her uneasily, "…What…?"

"Nice hair, hon," she said, reaching up and tousling the blonde mess on top of his head.

Joey reddened slightly and jerked his head out of her reach indignantly, "And just what's wrong with it?"

"Forgot do gel it this morning, didn't you?" Mai said, pulling a bottle of hair gel out of her bag and pouring a bit into her hands. Joey tried to slide away from her, but ran into Tristan, who refused to budge before he was finished eating. So Joey sat rigid as Mai worked, trying to tame his hair. 

Tea folded her arms, scowling disapprovingly as Tsuki giggled. Yugi forced a smile and Tsuki noticed. "Hey…are you okay, Yugi?" she asked timidly.

Yugi glanced over at her and was about to lie and say he was fine, but a different voice cut him off. "How do you expect him to be okay? Anyone about to face what we are would not be called human if they weren't worried." They all looked up from their various activities to see Athena standing at the end of the table, with Bakura beside her.

If it was possible, Yugi thought, Athena seemed in even worse shape than he was. There were dark circles under her eyes and strands of her dark hair hung loosely around her face. Her expression was grim and she was clutching her bag tightly. Yugi assumed that the Hourglass was tucked inside the bag. 

"Oh, Athena!" Tea said, "Where'd you go last night? You just sort of disappeared."

"I retreated to the rooftops, to meditate," Athena said, as she and Bakura joined them in the booth, "This land makes meditation difficult, I must say. So many sad memories…"

Yugi, Tsuki, and Bakura didn't want to push this subject on her, but couldn't very well think of anything else to talk about.

"Well," Mai said loudly, sensing the tenseness of the situation, "It's only quarter after eight now. What do you all want to do until we head down to the pyramids?"

"I wonder how many people actually managed to make it to the finals, besides us, I mean," Joey said, prodding at his now-sticky hair.

Yugi sighed and stood up, "I don't know Joey, but I don't think it will do us much good to worry about the other competitors. Anyway, I'm heading down to the hospital to check on Weevil and Void."

Tristan stood up next to him, "Good idea! Maybe that will help you guys to loosen up a little."

* * *

Across dimensions, Shadi was sitting on a cold stone floor in a large dank room. There were no windows or doors, and the only light came from a few small torches that burned blue fire that were positioned on the stone walls. Lying in front of Shadi was the soul of a small boy with blue hair and glasses. The boy had not stirred since he had arrived, and Shadi had begun to wonder just what sort of spell Jetsu had used to banish him to this place.

The Egyptian set his turban in his lap and ran a hand over his dark, bald head. He was sore and tired. He knew Jetsu had taken him from this place briefly – he could remember the struggle as he had tried to use the opportunity to escape. Of course he had failed. Jetsu's magic, now fueled by two Millennium Items, was much too powerful.

But hope was not all lost. In a sort of dream-like haze before he was returned to this prison, Shadi had glimpsed the Pharaoh and his counterpart. No doubt Jetsu was after the Puzzle as well. The Pharaoh had never been defeated before, but then, Jetsu was in a completely different league than all of the Pharaoh's previous enemies. 

Shadi sighed, twisting his turban over and over in his hands. _It will take all of the Pharaoh's strength to overcome this threat…and perhaps not even that will be enough…_

* * *

Upon exiting the hospital about an hour and a half later, it was quite apparent that nothing they did would lift the eerie sense of foreboding that hung over the group of friends. Void had awoken, obviously still exhausted but even in that state it was better than Weevil. Though his heart and brain still functioned normally, it was palpable that the true Weevil Underwood no longer resided in his body. 

Rex Raptor was in a state of mild shock and hadn't said a word to them when they enter until they left. Dark circles ringed his eyes, revealing a lack of sleep that had probably originated from of contemplation of his even lonelier imminent future.

Realizing they could do nothing to help the patients, the group poured out into the street, drenched in early morning sun. It was an unfitting beautiful day, with a cloudless blue sky that failed to lift anyone's mood. As the streets began to slowly repopulate, Yugi stopped in his tracks so quickly that Joey bumped into him.

"Hey! What gives, Yug?" the older boy asked.

"I just thought of something," Yugi said, "Don't you think we should warn Kaiba about what really going on? He's qualified for the finals too, you know."

"Do we have to…?" Joey said scowling grudgingly.

"It's only fair, I guess," Mai said.

"But how're we going to find him?" Tea asked, "He could be anywhere!"

Athena turned to Bakura, "Did they say Kaiba?? As in Seto Kaiba?"

"Yes," Bakura said, "Naturally he's here. He's one of Yugi's top rivals."

Athena nodded curtly, thinking to herself, _ To care about the welfare of a rival like this…the Pharaoh is truly as noble as he is skilled…_

It only took a few minutes to find Kaiba's hotel, and as they were about to enter, the front doors swung open and Kaiba strode out, tailed closely by Mokuba. The younger Kaiba brother had chosen to don an Egyptian robe of pale blue, but the older one had blatantly refused, and was wearing all black, as if daring the heat to bother him. The two of them noticed their visitors instantly and their reactions couldn't have been more opposite. Mokuba broke into a wide grin and hurried over to them, while Kaiba scowled and folded his arms across his chest.

"What're you guys doing here?" Mokuba asked, "Shouldn't you be heading over to the Tournament Pyramid??"

"Well, that's kind of why we came," Yugi said, "There's something I thought you should know before competing."

"What now, Moto?" Kaiba snorted, "Make it quick. I've got a tournament to win."

A little annoyed, but determined, Yugi delved into a brief overview of the outlook of the tournament, using the double duel with Terra and Blitz as a reference Kaiba could understand. He finished, "So I just thought I should warn you that this one might get dangerous. You heard what happened to Weevil, right?"

Kaiba cocked an eyebrow, "Underwood? No. What happened?"

"I heard," Mokuba said, "He's in terminal condition at the Al Karnak Hospital, right?"

"Yeah," Tristan said, "It was this Jetsu guy. Blasted him clear out of the Pyramid."

Yugi thought he saw shock flicker across Kaiba's face before he frowned and said, "And you're sure about all this?"

"Of course we are!" Yugi said.

"We've seen him!" Joey said.

"Well," Kaiba said lightly, "Thanks for the concern, but I can take care of myself. No nut-job is gonna keep me from taking first place."

Athena pushed to the front of the group, "Jetsu is not to be taken lightly! You best take heed of the Pharaoh's warning. Or suffer the same fate as Mr. Underwood."

Fire burned behind Kaiba's blue eyes and he leaned closer to Athena, so they were nearly nose to nose. "I don't know who you think you are, but you obviously don't know who you're talking to!" he spat.

"How dare you!" Athena cried, "You little–"

"ENOUGH!!" Yugi shouted and everyone turned to look at him. He looked a bit surprised at himself, and then said, "Kaiba, I don't care if you don't believe me. I just wanted to give you fair warning. Now, we've got a pyramid to get to. Come on, guys." He turned and headed back down the street.

"Yeah," Joey sneered, "See ya 'round, Kai-bitch!" Athena spat at Kaiba's feet and then turned to follow the rest of the group.

After they had dissolved into the now growing crowd, Mokuba let out a small whistle, "Ooh…dis."

"Whose side are you _on_??" Kaiba asked, annoyed.


	27. Chapter 27 Enter the Pyramid

A/N: To everyone who submitted their characters - thank you! And we're sorry that we couldn't fit them all - so don't take it personally if yours wasn't included.

* * *

Chapter 27

"Enter the Pyramid"

As they neared the pyramid, they could see a few others already there, all dressed in cloaks of various pale colors. "Huh," Yugi said, "I guess more people than just us collected all seven items."

"Yes," Bakura said, fingering his Ring nervously, "And I'll bet not one of them has a clue about what they're getting themselves into."

"Don't tell me we're gonna have to fill them in too?" Joey moaned.

"I doubt they'd believe us even if we _did _tell them," Mai said.

"It seems cruel to send them in there not knowing anything," Tea said.

Yugi nodded and then glanced over at Tsuki, who had been quieter than usual this morning. "Hey…are _you _okay?" he asked her softly.

"Huh? Oh, I guess so…" she said, "Just a little scared."

The boy smiled. Those were his feelings exactly, but it wouldn't do for her to know that, "It'll be alright. Just let Dedi handle the dueling when you get inside and everything will be fine, you'll see."

Meanwhile, Joey and Mai were eying the rest of their competition. The blonde-haired teen had his arms folded across his chest, the Duel Disk gleaming in the sunlight, "Boy, these guys don't look like they'll be much of a challenge…"

"Yeah," Mai said. She checked her watch, "We've got almost twenty minute before they'll let us in. Wanna go mingle?"

"Sure, why not?" Joey shrugged, as he and Mai approached the group of strangers. But perhaps group was a poor choice of words, because each duelist seemed lost in his or her own little world. There were only two that seemed to know each other. A short, teenage girl with brown hair and bi-eyes was talking animatedly to a tall teenage boy with white & black hair and dark sunglasses. As Mai and Joey approached, the girl spotted them and waved.

"Hi there!" she said cheerfully, "We were wondering how many more of us there would be for this thing."

"We…?" Mai said.

"Yeah," the girl said, gesturing to the tall boy, "Konton and me. I'm Alyssa, by the way, but everyone calls me Gee."

"Huh?" Joey said, "Where do you get a nickname–?" 

But before he could get the whole question out, the girl had taken him by the arm, grinning up at him, "And what's your name, cutie?"

"Uh…er…Joey Wheeler…" he said, blushing and tugging at the collar of his cloak. Beside him, he could feel Mai glaring at him. 

"Oh!" Gee said, letting go of him and clapping a hand over her mouth, "That must mean – is Yugi Moto here??"

"Uh, yeah…" Joey said.

"But I don't think he's in the mood to sign autographs right now," Mai said shortly, taking Joey's hand firmly in hers, as if afraid he might wander off, "So I suppose you're all feeling pretty good about the competition today, hmm?"

"Of course," said the boy, Konton, "Why shouldn't we be? This is gonna be fun."

Mai and Joey shot each other a look. 

"Hey…" Gee said, "What's the matter with you two? You look like somebody's died!"

"Look…" Joey began, "This whole thing is rigged. The guy running it is a real whack-job and it's gonna be dangerous in there."

Gee and Konton looked at each other and then laughed. To Joey's dismay, their laughter caught the attention of the other unknown duelists and they gathered around quickly.

"What's so funny?" demanded a tall, muscular boy with glasses.

"These two!" Gee said, still giggling.

"They say there's some madman in control of this tournament!" Konton added.

"Madman?!" squeaked a smaller boy with black hair and freckles, "As in, like, ax-wielding??"

"Naw," said Konton, "More like a sorcerer with evil magic powers!"

The black hair boy gave a small yelp and bit his fingernails nervously. 

Joey was now twitching with absolute rage. _ All we ever do is try ta help people and this is what we get!?!? Why I oughtta-_ As he went to step forward, the young adult felt a hand on his shoulder and craned his neck around for a look. 

Tristan was standing just behind him, shaking his head, "They aren't worth it. Just give up; you know they won't believe you no matter what you do or say." The tall, brown-haired boy turned and began to walk off, "It's almost time, you should be focused on yourself and the tournament, like Yugi is. Or Bakura."

Yugi seemed to be talking to the wall of the pyramid, but it was easy to guess that Yami was there, invisible but always present. Bakura was looking through his deck and kept glancing nervously at his digital watch on his wrist, as if willing time to speed up by staring at the device. 

"He's right," Mai said, "This is a waste of time. Come on." She led him back over to their group.

As they left, Gee wiped a tear out of her eye, "Hoo boy…you don't get a good laugh like that very often, do you?"

* * *

Deep within the Pyramid, Vitani was entering her Master's inner sanctum. He had summoned her, most likely to brief her before the Finals began. As she stepped into the room, she could see him fastening his personalized DD2 to the armor on his right arm. He glanced up as she approached and she bowed swiftly.

"Punctual as always, Vitani," he said.

"Thank you, sir," she said. Jetsu looked her over. She was dressed for battle, in a white tank-top, leather pants, high-heeled boots, and temporary Egyptian tattoos on her face and shoulders. Her short blonde hair was pushed behind her ears and attached to the belt around her hips was a sword in a gold sheath. "What part shall I play in today's events, sir?"

"Eager, I see," Jetsu said, "Good. Your task is simple, Vitani. You will eliminate the weak ones first. Then move on to the more troublesome ones."

"Please sir," Vitani said softly, "May I take the Greek?"

"Very well," Jetsu said, "Yes, perhaps that is best. I don't want to get my armor dirty today. Yes, you may handle her."

"Thank you sir," Vitani said, bowing again, "Shall I bring them in?"

Jetsu said nothing, only nodded. Vitani turned and quickly left the room. As the door shut behind her, Jetsu stood and began to walk towards the hidden exit on the other side of the room. His cold voice filled the now empty room, "It is time."

* * *

Outside, the front entrance of the pyramid slid open with a menacing grinding sound of stone against sand and everyone turned. Out of the dark doorway stepped Vitani and everyone registered a small bit of recognition, as they had seen her on their first night in Al Karnak. The only one acting strangely was Tristan, who had recognized her at once as the woman who had "escorted" him out of the pyramid after he had heard Ambrosius' demise. His eyes met with hers for a split second and he felt himself go cold all over. Then the flash was gone and she had turned to address the crowd.

"Congratulations, duelists!" she said, in her warmest voice, with her fake smile plastered across her face, "My Master is honored to welcome you to his Pyramid for the final round of his Tournament. However, for those of you who have competed before this, the rules are much different than any tournament you have thus far competed in."

Yugi gave Yami a significant look and Vitani continued, "To put it simply, in this round, anything goes. There will be no organized duels of any kind. You are to explore the depths of the pyramid, slowly eliminating one another until there is only one left standing. Is everyone clear on that??"

Everyone nodded, though many looked confused or worried.

"Good," Vitani said, her eyes flashing, "You are free to enter. The Finals have begun." She stepped aside and the duelists began filing in through the large stone doorway. As they did, she sidled calmly to where Tristan stood, eyeing her anxiously. "Well…I certainly didn't expect to see you here. I'm surprised you let your friends compete after what you know."

"You…" Tristan said, clenching his fists, "You'd better not hurt them…"

"Oh, you shouldn't concern yourself with me," Vitani said, "It's my Master who you should worry about. Or rather, who your _ friends _should worry about. I hope you said your goodbyes, because you're certainly not going to see them again." And as Tristan stood there, frozen to the spot, speechless with horror and rage, she left him, bringing up the end of the line of duelists. As soon as she vanished into the darkness, the stone door slid shut, sealing them all inside.

* * *

Almost instantly, the contestants took off, tearing down the different hallways that led deep into the complex pyramid. Soon the only ones beside Vitani left in the main lobby were Kaiba, Joey, Mai, Yugi, and Tsuki. With a flash of light from his Puzzle, Yugi was no more and Yami appeared. With a hard, confident stare at his friends, the pharaoh from the past spoke calmly to them, "Don't worry. We'll get through this. Just watch your backs." With that he too chose a path and disappeared into the darkness.

Kaiba said nothing, and began to saunter down the hallway opposite of Yami's, glowering to himself. 

There was another flash of light and Dedi took control of Tsuki. "Good luck to both of you," she said and then went off on her own.

"All right…" Joey said, swallowing hard, "Here we go."

"Be careful, Joey," Mai said and kissed him quickly, before taking yet another path that branched off of the lobby.

Joey nodded, blushing slightly. Suddenly, he noticed something peculiar: _Vitani was gone…_

Scratching his head, the Japanese teen began to traverse his own deserted, poorly lit corridor, wondering to himself: _Now where did she get off to?_

* * *

Alyssa Gee, 17-year-old daughter of Captain Gee in the 147th division of the American Infantry Corps rechecked that her Duel Disk 2 was functioning properly. It had never quite been dependable, seeing as she had to share it with her eight siblings usually. At least, until last year when they had finally managed to buy each one of them their own machine.

The native Californian sighed. That, of course, had meant that as the oldest she was stuck with the older, used one. Ah well, at least it provided her with a bit of light as she navigated the dark passageways. Light by torch? What was this, the Stone Age? After the blazing brightness of the desert and the beaches of her home state, the brash girl with two eye colors was ill-prepared to find her way around in this darkness, which could put her at an unnecessary disadvantage. Every footstep she took seemed to echo around her, causing her mind to jump slightly, thinking that it was originating from somewhere other than her own soles.

Suddenly, there was a flicker behind her, and Gee froze. Was it one of the torches, or a duelist preparing an ambush? She went to close her eyes but stopped herself. What had her father taught her about reconnaissance that she could use now? It was a small hallway, and the burning lights were separated each by 15 yards of space. An abrupt chill went down her spine as she came to a realization: the flames would have had to surge much higher than normal to produce that shadow _that was slowly growing larger… and larger… behind her…_

Alyssa whipped around, doing a complete 180 degree turn, expecting it to be one of those mentally disturbed Japanese losers from outside or maybe Konton trying to scare her, but got an even bigger surprise when she saw the tournament coordinator standing merely feet away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Ohh… it's just you… Where are you going? Up to security to watch us?" she asked jokingly, but then realized that this woman also had a glowing Duel Disk on her arm.

"I am certainly no security force member," Vitani said, "And as to where I am going…nowhere. I've found what I've been looking for: my first opponent. As Master Jetsu's Official Eliminator, I challenge you. Are you brave enough to accept?"

Gee felt her anger flare up and she activated her Duel Disk, "You keep calling him your master. So what are you, his slave? For a slave you sure have a lot of guts challenging the number one duelist in California, and soon the world!"

Vitani said nothing and activated her Duel Disk.

* * *

Joey had been wandering for several minutes listening for any sign of movement, or any whisper of noise. To his surprise, he stepped out of the walkway and into a large, circular chamber, which appeared to be empty except for the many different doorways and the blazing torches that were spread around the room. 

More trying to comfort himself from the unnatural silence than anything, the blonde boy spoke aloud, "I guess I could just wait here for someone to challenge me. Dunno who would, but…"

"Aww…Wheeler, are you scared of the dark…?" came a cold voice and Seto Kaiba emerged from one of the dark doorways, smirking cruelly.

Joey scowled, "Well, if it isn't Kai-bitch. I knew I smelled somethin'."

"Who're you to be calling me a bitch? _ You're _the dog," Kaiba spat, "And I'll make you bow to your master. Just like at Duelist Kingdom."

**_ Clank… Clank… Clank… Clank…_**

The Japanese boy faced his senior, hearing the familiar beeps and clicks of the Duel Disk as it started up its duel program, "The hell I'll ever bow to you!"

**_ Clank… Clank… Clank… Clank…_**

Kaiba's right eyebrow twitched, "Let's see you back up your big mouth this time, Wheeler! I've waited a long time for this…"

"And so, it would appear, you shall have to wait longer still." A commanding voice rang across the chamber, capturing the attention of both young men. The clanking of metal that both of them had ignored had ceased and before them, shrouded almost completely in the darkness, was a black knight.

Seto glanced over at the new arrival, quite apparently annoyed, "Get lost, whoever you are, we're busy…"

Joey, however, stared long and hard at the oddly dressed man, and drew a conclusion that he wished he hadn't. _Holy SHIT!! It's Jetsu!! _ Now, for some reason, Joey could not find any part of himself that might offer some rebuttal to the man. The one bit of him that really stuck out (the large golden shield) seemed to be glowing ominously on his left arm.

Jetsu laughed, "Mr. Kaiba, such rudeness! Is that anyway to speak to the benefactor of the tournament in which you are competing? You should learn to hold your tongue in the presence of a superior."

Kaiba seemed not to have heard, or if he had, he was pretending not to have. Instead, he turned to Joey. "So this is the nut-case you were talking about? You didn't mention he was fashion-challenged."

Joey didn't get a chance to reply. All he could do was spazz frantically at Kaiba to be quiet before Jetsu cried out, "I said hold your tongue, whelp!!" In an instant, a blast of light shot from the shield and hit Kaiba square in the chest, sending him flying into the far wall. He slid to the floor, caught himself just before falling completely and pushed himself up from the wall.

"Kaiba!" Joey said, noticing that the boy-billionaire's brown hair was beginning to mat with blood. 

"Forget it, Wheeler," Kaiba said quickly, a smile hiding his grimace of pain, "I don't know who this freak is, but he's going down. And after that, I'll deal with you."

The evil overlord shook a finger at the leader of Kaiba Corporation, "Still as cocky as ever I see." He chuckled softly, "Come now, boy, a one-on-one with you would be nothing but a waste of my time! This is why I propose that you and Wheeler try your luck together."

"**_WHAT?!?! _**_Work with **HIM**?!?_" cried both boys at once, pointing at each other.

"I don't need his help," Kaiba said stubbornly.

"And I don't wanna have anyt'ing ta do with him," Joey protested.

"Of course," Jetsu spoke up, "I could just seal both of your souls away right now without a fight…"

"What's he talking about now?" Kaiba muttered.

Joey had gone pale. "Hey, Kaiba…" he said weakly, "How 'bout a truce, huh? Just this once…? He ain't kiddin'. He'll put us outta commission fer good unless we do what he says!"

Kaiba glared back at Joey, "Why should I believe you?"

Joey sighed, exasperated, and cast another nervous glance at the portentous Shield, "You have to! You just have to! Or else… or else… you'll never get ta see Mokuba again!"

Kaiba's eyes widened for a second, then he frowned. "Fine," he said quickly, "But you'd better be right about this one, Wheeler…"

The impetuous teen breathed a sigh of relief, "Trust me, I am Kaiba." Then he turned to face the malevolent knight, "Alrighty then! We'll accept your challenge!"

All three fired up their Duel Disks in preparation and called out in unison, "Let's Duel!"

* * *

Vitani smiled as she stood over the soulless and bleeding body of Alyssa Gee, which was now crumpled up on one side of the hallway. The tournament coordinator began to walk off, using the Millennium Sword that Lord Jetsu had allowed her to borrow to find her way towards her next opponent. _One down…_


	28. Chapter 28 Duel Montage

A note from the authors: Sorry for the lack of updates, but we thought you all went on vacation because hardly anyone reviewed Chapter 27. 

* * *

Chapter 28

"Duel Montage"

Jetsu grinned behind his helmet as he selected his five cards (Exodia the Forbidden One, Millennium Shield, Lesser Fiend, Different Dimension Capsule, Graceful Charity). These two might provide for a decent warm-up, but it wasn't likely. Both of them were fools, and as allies: they were even worse. He folded his arms across his chest plate and inclined his head towards the two, "Begin now."

Seto Kaiba glared at his would-be "ally" in the duel and growled softly at him, "Listen up, dog. I'm going first, and I don't need your help to beat this psycho. Just stay out of my way." The young man glanced down at his six cards (Dragon's Gunfire, Stamping Destruction, A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon, Troop Dragon, The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, and Dragon's Rage). Shifting his Duel Disk on his arm, the billionaire began to place cards on the field, "I set one monster in defense mode (The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave (1300/2000)) and one card face-down (Dragon's Rage)."

Joey glared angrily at Kaiba. _Man, that guy really knows how ta tick me off! If we get through this alive…_ Still fuming, the teenager took a look down at the six cards that he was holding (Book of Moon, Lava Battleguard, Trap Dustshoot, Gravekeeper's Guard, Bottomless Traphole, and Inaba White Rabbit) "I'm also placin' a monster in defense mode (Gravekeeper's Guard (1000/1900)), but I'm gonna place two cards face-down (Trap Dustshoot & Book of Moon), unlike my **_partner_**." The young man shot a dirty look at Seto, who ignored him.

Lord Jetsu chuckled softly. Such idiocy was all too rare these days. _It's actually rather refreshing_, he thought to himself and he slipped another card from his deck (Offerings to the Doomed) and examined it carefully, considering his options. But before he could even play a card, the blonde-haired servant of the pharaoh had pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "What the-"

Grinning, Joey watched as his trap appeared on the field, "I'm activatin' my trap right off the bat: Trap Dustshoot! This card allows me (if ya have four or more cards in your hand) to see yer cards and choose a monster to go back to your deck! Now let's see 'em!" 

Growling angrily, the evil warlord placed his six cards on the field, where they appeared face-up and large for both of his enemies to see. He watched as both of them balked at the sight of his Exodia head. 

"Exodia!!" Kaiba cried, then he frowned, "Should've known he'd use that strategy…"

"Well, my mind's made up," Joey said, "I choose The Head of Exodia to go back into your deck!" That wouldn't stop Jetsu from summoning the horrible beast, but it would at least give them some time to think of a strategy. **_If _**_Kaiba ever learns to cooperate, _ Joey thought grimly. He remembered what Athena had said the previous night – that Jetsu's Exodia was the probable reason for Weevil being in a coma, and he wasn't exactly anxious to suffer the same fate.

Jetsu nodded and placed the card into his deck, where the machine began to shuffle up his deck. Collecting up his remaining five cards, the black knight swiveled his helmet towards Joey, "If you're quite finished, may I get on with my turn?"

"Fine," came the answer from Kaiba, not giving Joey the chance to reply.

"Good. Then I will first play this card: the Graceful Charity. I believe you are both familiar with this card, so there's no need to explain." After selecting his three cards (Left Leg of the Forbidden One, Monster Reborn, and Witch of the Black Forest), he calmly pushed Lesser Fiend and Millennium Shield into the graveyard. Choosing three out of his remaining four cards in his hand, the evil entity announced his moves, "I place one monster (Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200) in defense mode, place this one card face-down (Offerings to the Doomed) and now play a magic card known as the Different Dimension Capsule!"

Joey beat Kaiba to the punch, "What th' heck is that?"

Lord Jetsu calmly explained it to the confused 18-year-old as he began fishing through his deck, "This card allows me to select a single card from my deck and remove it from play. In two turns from now, that card will be added to my hand! HA HA HA HA!" 

* * *

Yami had been anxiously trying to navigate the difficult and gloomy corridors for several minutes and was beginning to feel as though he was being followed. At his side was Yugi in translucent form. The poor boy seemed a wreck and, while Yami couldn't really blame him, this wasn't a good time to be having second thought. "Yugi…" he said softly.

"Huh?" the boy's head jerked towards his counterpart.

"You need to relax," Yami said, "Calm your mind and try to concentrate. Don't dwell on what only _might _happen, but rather what we _need _to happen. I'm going to need you with me for this. I don't think I can handle Jetsu on my own."

"I know," Yugi said, swallowing hard, "Thanks, Yami." Then, unprovoked, the boy wrapped his arms around Yami's midsection. The Pharaoh of Old gave a small smile and patted his counterpart on the head.

"Isn't this cute…" came a gravelly voice and they both looked up. Yami Bakura was standing in the shadows of the corridor ahead of them, smirking cruelly. "But do you really think this is the time or place to be having a moment?"

Yami frowned, "Where's Bakura?"

"Where he should be," Yami Bakura said, "in my shadow. I've been waiting for a rematch with you for a long time, Pharaoh."

"If it's a rematch you want, it's a rematch you'll get," Yami said, as Yugi dissolved back into him. He adjusted his DD2, "Let's duel!"

* * *

Daniel Stevens had taken a moment to muse about the situation as he wandered rather aimlessly through the dimly lit corridors. There was something about the lack of organization in the tournament that irked him. The tall, muscular teen felt that at least the courtesy of order was due to such a skilled duelist as he.

Growing up in the heart of London, Daniel had always been accustomed to routine and efficiency, so this whole 'anything goes' rule was quite distressing to him. _I could be wandering around in this filthy place forever… _he thought huffily, _surely that was not the coordinator's intention. _

"How do they expect us to eliminate each other if we can't even bloody well _find _each other??" he exclaimed to no one in particular.

"It's a simple trick of knowing where to look," said a feminine behind him and the Brit turned. Vitani was coming up behind him, a small smile tugging at her painted lips.

"You…?" Daniel said, "What do you want?"

"A duel, naturally," she said, "Do you accept my challenge?"

"Bah!" he said, waving a hand at her, "Duel? You don't stand a chance against me! Why don't we make this simple and you just surrender now?"

"I'm afraid that's not who it works," Vitani said, "Now enough talk. Will you duel me, or are you afraid??"

"I fear nothing and no one!" Daniel said, "Especially not _you! _Let's duel!!"

* * *

Kaiba grimaced in slight worry. He had a sinking suspicion that the card this maniac had selected was a piece of Exodia, which meant that he was going to have to end this duel in a hurry. Scanning his new card over quickly (Dragon Tribe), he started his turn, "First, I flip my Dragon Dwelling in the Cave into attack mode!"

A large, blue dragon that was lying low to the ground appeared, and a snot bubble appeared out of one of its nostrils, showing that though it was in attack mode it most certainly did not feel like doing anything until absolutely necessary. Kaiba ignored this ridiculousness and pulled several cards from his hand, "Now, I'll play the Stamping Destruction magic card, which will allow me to use my dragon to destroy your face-down card!" The large blue dragon straightened up on its hind legs, stretched, then flapped his way over to Jetsu and smashed his face-down card.

Lord Jetsu watched as his Offerings to the Doomed was destroyed, but took little notice. He could have activated it, but it just wouldn't be worth it to skip a draw phase over that monster. Suddenly, however, his Duel Disk began to beep at him. Bewildered, he watched as his life points dropped quickly and halted abruptly at 3500. The Millennium Shield was glowing intensely, stopping the physical damage to its master. 

Kaiba sniggered, "Oh, and the other effect is that you lose 500 of your life points. Not too shabby, eh? It gets better, trust me. Now, I summon Troop Dragon (700/800) in attack mode!" A short, large-winged, green dragon with armor on and a worn sword and shield appeared before Kaiba, next to the lazy blue dragon. Selecting another green magic card, Kaiba pressed it into one of the empty slots in the back of his Duel Disk 2, "This card, Dragon's Gunfire, will use my Troop Dragon to deal another 800 points of damage to you!"

The little dragon reached behind his back and pulled out a bow and arrow set. Jetsu blinked in surprise as the creature fired the arrow right at him. Quick as a flash, he had raised his powerful Shield, and the arrow reflected off of it harmlessly, though his life points did drop further, down to 2700.

Kaiba blinked a few times. "Wait a minute. How does that shield deflect holographic images??" he demanded, turning to Joey.

"Haven't you realized by now??" Joey said, "First of all – that's a Millennium Item he's got, so of course it's gonna deflect attacks on him. Secondly – the monsters aren't holographic! He uses some kinda magic to bring 'em all to life!! Flesh and blood, all of 'em! Touch one and see."

"You've gotta be kidding," Kaiba said gruffly, stepping towards the Dragon Dwelling in the Cave. _Wheeler's cracked, _he thought, _My hand will go right through this. _He reached out and his hand touched warm, leathery skin. He drew his hand back quickly as if burned, and watched at the Dragon swung its head around to blink lazily at him. "What the hell?!?"

"Told ya," Joey said shortly.

_ What IS this?!?! _ Kaiba thought, feeling slightly panicked, _ This can't be real…it just can't!! _"So…when they attack life points directly…?"

"Yep…" Joey nodded, jaw clenched.

"Just great…" Kaiba muttered under his breath, "Well, I think that in that case… Dragon Dwelling in the Cave! Attack his monster now!

The outsized blue dragon opened its mouth wide and roared loudly. The brown-haired man could feel the intense heat of the red-orange flames that were spewing out of his monster's mouth as they rushed towards his opponent. A strange looking woman in a black robe appeared for just a moment before becoming engulfed in the flames. The woman screamed, catching both Kaiba and Joey off guard. Neither of them had ever heard a Duel Monster card shriek in pain before, and it was more than a little unnerving.

"Ahh well," Jetsu said, "Now I get Witch of the Black Forest's effect." He searched quickly through his deck, and pulled out Right Arm of the Forbidden One. 

Kaiba glanced over at Joey, who had gone pale and was staring at the floor. "GET A GRIP!!" the older boy shouted, "It's just a card!! I didn't really kill anything, OKAY?? Geezus…" Kaiba shook his head in frustration and then said to Jetsu, "Before I end my turn, I can use my Troop Dragon to attack your Life Points directly!!" The small dragon flew forward, and though Seto was sure that the sword contact would be direct, the mysterious man once again raised the golden shield and there was a loud **_King!_** as the two metals collided.

* * *

Vitani stood over her second fallen victim, her grim expression masking the raging emotions within. She fingered the hilt of the Millennium Sword, its gold sparkling in the torchlight. "I feel that today, young duelist, you have learned the meaning of fear. Pity it had to be your last lesson."

She shook her hair out of her face with a smooth motion and turned away. Today was not the day to show weakness. Jetsu was most definitely watching, and she could not afford to disappoint him, or she would surely be joining her victims in the Shadow Dungeon. A shiver ran down her spine and she had to resist the urge to hug herself. Instead, she balled her fists tightly and continued on, vanishing into the darkness of the corridor. 

* * *

Both Japanese duelists stared in disbelief as the petite dragon walked sadly back towards Kaiba. Jetsu's Duel Disk ticked off more life points, down to 2000.

Kaiba was able to recover first. _Well, even if he isn't injured physically, we're still leading in Life Points, _he thought, _so as long as Wheeler doesn't screw up, we can win this. Jetsu's already down by half… _"That ends my turn," he said aloud, and then turned to Joey, "See if you can keep up the lead I've given us, dog."

Joey growled through clenched teeth. _That guy…He thinks he's so smooth, givin' us an early lead like that… _He had to resist the urge to jump Kaiba, and instead drew a card (Fairy Box). _Hmm…that could come in handy later… _"I'll place this card face down (Fairy Box), and then I'll tribute my Gravekeeper's Ghoul for Lava Battleguard (1550/1800) in attack mode! Go, Battleguard! Attack Jetsu now!" 

The red-skinned beast lunged towards Jetsu, club raised. Carelessly, Jetsu raised his Shield and blocked the attack, as his Life Points dropped to 450. Disappointed that its attack had been blocked, the Lava Battleguard walked back to Joey's part of the field, its club dragging along the ground.

Kaiba smirked. _Well…looks like Wheeler's not a complete idiot after all. Or maybe that was just a lucky break. Better not take any chances relying on him._

"It's your turn now," Joey said to Jetsu.

The black knight nodded. This was an unexpected surprise indeed. Somehow the fools were actually in the lead, but no matter. Two pieces in his hand, and one that would be his in one turn. Now, if his deck could just provide him with a good card…(Pot of Greed). 

"Excellent! Now, I'll just play this magic card to gain two new cards," Jetsu pushed the magic card onto the field, where it appeared for just a brief moment, then the Duel Disk pulled it into the graveyard as he picked up another two cards (Right Leg of the Forbidden One and Sangan) "First, I will play the Monster Reborn Magic card, to revive my Millennium Shield in defense mode (0/3000)." The gold and red shield appeared out of the green magic card and positioned itself in front of its master, intent on defending him from any threats. He moved another card from his hand and placed it on the field, "Now, I'll lay one monster in defense mode (Sangan (1000/600)) and end my turn."

Kaiba snorted, "Seems strange that someone clearly so _powerful _has done nothing but play defense this whole game. Not only that, but it doesn't seem to be helping you." He drew his card (Dark Magic Curtain). A wide grin spread across his face, which was so uncharacteristic of him that it frightened Joey. "I'll play the Dark Magic Curtain!" Kaiba said, slapping the card into place, "Which allows all players to summon one high-level monster from their deck in exchange for half of their Life Points!"

In the center of the field a large archway formed, with a red curtain draping down from both sides. As it was forming, Kaiba was quickly rifling through his deck. "Naturally," Kaiba said, "I'm summoning the most faithful card in my deck – The Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The curtains parted, and the ground shook as the huge dragon emerged, craning its neck and roaring proudly. Kaiba was in awe. "It's even better than the holograms…" he murmured, reaching out to it. 

"Kaiba! Don't!" Joey cried.

Too late. Kaiba's hand touched the sharp, metal-like scales of the Blue Eyes and he cried out, drawing back his bleeding hand and clutching it tightly. His face had paled with shock and pain.

"You should know better than that," Joey said, but there was a note of concern in his voice and he took a step towards the older boy.

"Get away from me!" Kaiba snapped, looking like a cornered animal. A second later, it dawned on him how foolish he must've looked and he composed himself, "Just get on with your summon," he said, tearing the end of one of his jacket sleeves off and using it as a crude bandage for his hand.

Joey frowned, and turned to look down at his DD2. "I'll bring out a dragon of my own – The Red Eyes Black Dragon!!" Once again the curtain parted and Red Eyes flew out, touching down next to the Blue Eyes. The dragons glanced at each other for a moment, before settling their focus back on the enemy. "Your turn, Jetsu," Joey said.

"I have no need for another monster, so please continue Mr. Kaiba." Jetsu folded his arms, smiling unseen beneath his black helmet, "After all, my Millennium Shield has enough defense power to stop both of your dragons."

"Hmph," Seto Kaiba snorted, "I'm switching my Troop Dragon and my Dragon Dwelling in the cave into defense mode. Now, my Blue Eyes will attack your face-down monster!" The mighty beast opened its mouth and blasted the face-down card with such fury that neither Kaiba nor Joey even had time to see the little creature.

The master of darkness sighed, then began to rifle through his deck once again, "You've attacked Sangan, which allows me to search my deck for a monster to add to my hand." He calmly found the Left Arm of The Forbidden One and placed it in his hand.

Kaiba grimaced and gave Joey a meaningful glance. _He must be searching for the pieces of Exodia! When Wheeler ends his turn, he'll also get whatever care he put out of play! If it's another piece…_ Well, Kaiba didn't even want to think about that.


	29. Chapter 29 Duel Montage Continues

A Note From the Authors: Oops! We meant to to tell you all before - all this stuff is going on pretty much at the same time, hence the use of the word "montage" in the titles. 

And in response to Time Mage's last review: the "Dark Magic Curtain", according to the TV show, summons a "high level monster", not just the Dark Magician. It just happened that Arkana was obsessed with DMs. Also, Yami brought out the Dark Magician Girl with it, which is not technically a Dark Magician. And as far as Kaiba's deck goes, out of a fifty or forty card deck, the TV show only has him use about ten, so we use some artistic license to think up the rest. And everyone in the show had horribly weak monsters in their decks for no apparent reason (a.k.a. The Swordsman of Landstar).

Anyway, onto the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 29

"Duel Montage Continues"

Mai ran a hand through her long blonde hair boredly. _This place is like a maze… _she thought, _At this rate, I'm never going to find someone to duel… _She fussed with her cloak unconsciously as she stopped her wandering for a moment, and she found her thoughts turning to Joey. _I sure hope he's fairing alright. _She continued on her way, and pretty soon, she heard another pair of footsteps besides her own. As she came to the end of her corridor and into a large, open space, the back & white-haired boy from before emerged in the same room from a corridor parallel to hers.

For a brief moment, they only stared at each other. Then the boy sighed, "Oh…it's just you. I was hoping to find Alyssa."

"Sorry, kid," Mai said indignantly, "but you're stuck with me. And you're not gonna get to duel your little friend – because there's no way you'll get past me."

"Really…?" Konton said, "We'll just see about that." He held up his right arm and activated his DD2. Mai just gawked at him, staring fixedly at his deck. "What's your problem??" he demanded.

"You're deck!" Mai cried, through small bouts of laughter, "How'd you even get it to fit in the Duel Disk! There must be a hundred cards in there!! How did **_you _**ever make it to the finals!?!"

Konton flushed angrily, "I'll have you know my 76-card deck is unbeatable, as you'll soon find out first-hand!"

"Oh…I see," Mai said, wiping a tear of laughter off of her cheek, "Well, I've got news for you kid. No amount of cards is gonna save you from me." She activated her Duel Disk, "And I'll prove it! Let's duel!"

* * *

16-year-old Sandy Williams brushed the dust off of her torn-up jeans and looked around. She had come upon what appeared to be a fork in the tunnels. _What a crazy place this is, eh,_ she thought to herself, _I've been wandering around forever and still haven't found anyone to duel. Not even a duel to watch, eh. _Ruffling her short, spiky blonde hair, the native Canadian was faced with the choice of which path to take. 

A brief flash of something caught her eye in the left tunnel, and her adventuresome spirit got the best of her. She dashed down the pathway to investigate. No sooner had she burst forth into a circular room then she heard a sort of Indian-war-cry and was knocked to the floor as something heavy hit her back. In a whirl of motion, she was turned over onto her back and found herself staring up into the face of a woman a few years older than herself, with pale blue eyes and black hair. 

"What's this then, eh??" Sandy panted, cocking an eyebrow at the woman who was pinning her to the ground.

Athena sighed and stood up, "You're not the one I'm looking for…you can go free."

"Hey now!" Sandy said, getting to her feet, "You think you can tackle me and get away with it, eh??"

Athena had already started towards a new corridor, "I have no reason to fight with you. However, if it is a duel you desire, I will oblige – but it will not last long.

"That's what you think, eh!" Sandy cried, starting up her DD2.

"It's what I know," Athena said, turning back around and doing the same.

* * *

"Wheeler, you'd better make this turn count," Seto said quietly to his partner, "I have a feeling that we're running out of them..."

Joey nodded, understanding completely what was meant by this. _C'mon deck! I just need this one favor…_ He closed his eyes and picked up his next card. Peeking down at it with one eye, the miracle of sensory perception revealed his selection to him (Rocket Warrior) "Alright! I summon Rocket Warrior (1500/1300) in attack mode!" 

The green-and-yellow checkered monster appeared next to the ferocious black dragon and the large, red goblin (who was scratching its back with its club). The blonde boy jerkily pulled his right arm up and point a finger at Jetsu, "Now, I switch Lava Battleguard into defense mode, and Rocket Warrior into his invincible mode! Attack the Millennium Shield aaannnndddd, lower its defense power to 2500!" The newly summoned monster began to change parts around and morph into what looked like a small rocket ship and blasted off towards the ultimate defense monster.

An enormously noisy bang was heard as the two monster collided, and though Rocket Warrior looked a bit dizzy and shaken when it returned to Joey's side of the field and reverted back to normal, the Millennium Shield did drop by 500 defense points. Wheeler let out a short laugh, "Ha! Next turn Kaiba's Blue Eyes is gonna tear your monster to shreds, and the rest of your life points with it!" He gave Kaiba the thumbs-up, hoping that his partner would share his considerably up-lifted emotions.

Kaiba felt the muscles in his face contort into what, surprisingly enough, felt like a genuine smile. "Nice move, Wheeler," he said, "Never saw that one coming – I have to tell you. Especially from a wanna-be like you." _Now, as long as Jetsu doesn't draw the last piece of Exodia on this turn, we'll actually win! But what am I saying?? The odds of him drawing that card are slim…we've got this in the bag!_

"Yes, an impressive move," Jetsu nodded, "And a clever strategy as well, that is, as long as Mr. Kaiba gets to _take_ his next turn. But for now, I get the card that I removed with Different Dimension Capsule." He picked up the Exodia the Forbidden One that he'd removed. "And now, I draw my card for this turn." Behind the helmet, both Kaiba and Joey could see the glint in their opponent's eyes and they knew what was coming.

Jetsu slid all five pieces of Exodia across his Duel Disk 2, and declared, "It's the end of the line, gentlemen! I have to say, you fought valiantly, but the outcome was inevitable! I summon forth Exodia the Forbidden One!! Goodbye, boys!!"

There was an explosion of light from Jetsu's side of the field and the whole room shook violently as the huge Egyptian beast climbed out of its portal and lumbered onto the field. 

"Wheeler…" Kaiba said, his face pale as death, eyes wide, "Do you know what this means?!?!"

"Yeah…" Joey said, just as pale and wide-eyed, "We're _finished!!!!_" 

The giant monster above all others raised forth his arms and pressed his wrists together, hands outstretched. An orange blast erupted forth from the center of his hands and the beam of destruction filled the room. First went Rocket warrior, being shattered into hundreds of tiny, malfunctioning pieces. Next were the Lava Battleguard and Troop Dragon, both consumed by the death ray and incinerated. Red Eyes and Blue Eyes were both struck down defending their masters, and then…

* * *

Dedi was knocked off her feet by a sudden earthquake that seemed to come from absolutely nowhere. She hit the floor, cushioning the fall with her hands and then flinging them over her head to protect herself from the bits of ceiling that rained down around her. She wasn't sure, but she could've sworn she heard human screams and manic laughter in amidst the rumble of the earthquake. 

Then it stopped. She picked herself up off the ground, more than a little worried. _I've got a bad feeling about this…_

* * *

In the middle of her duel with Konton, Mai stopped in mid-card-draw, as if struck by invisible lightning. Not even looking at the card she had drawn, she put a hand to her chest. _What is this horrible feeling that's just come over me…? _She thought, _Something terrible's happened…_

* * * 

Alone in another corridor, Vitani felt the soft rumble of the distant work of her master. The Millennium Sword glowed in its hilt and she thought, _He has started claiming victims. I must quicken my search. _As her footsteps hastened down the dark passageway, she thought briefly, _I pity the fools brave enough to challenge my master._

* * *

Across the dimensional border, Shadi and Weevil were sitting side by side, leaning against the dungeon wall. The blue-haired boy had awoken less than an hour ago and had demanded answers to his millions of questions. Shadi had employed his best-learned virtue, patience, to deal with them. 

"So…" Weevil said, looking even more confused than he had when he'd first started the interrogation, "…I'm _not _dead…?"

"No," Shadi shook his head, "Your body and soul have been separated, as mine have been. But you have not yet passed from the living world."

"And this place…what did you call it?"

"The Shadow Realm," Shadi replied, "As far as I can tell, this is a branch of it that only Jetsu has access to."

"Jetsu…" Weevil echoed, "That's the freak with Exodia, right?"

Shadi smiled slightly. The rudeness of this boy was surprisingly refreshing. "Yes…if by 'freak' you mean the keeper of the Millennium Shield."

"And he's the one that sent me here?" Weevil concluded, "After he…won our duel…?"

Shadi nodded, and was about to respond when there was a rush of wind and he looked up, "There are more coming," he said dryly. This had been a common occurrence during the last hour. Already, two unconscious souls had fallen through the ceiling in this manner. 

Weevil followed Shadi's gaze, and the two of them heard muffled screams that were getting louder by the second. _Strange, _Shadi thought, _More than one at a time, and it sounds like they're still conscious. _

Within seconds, two thin male figures became visible out of the darkness of the near-inexistent ceiling of the dungeon. As Shadi and Weevil watched, Joey and Kaiba came crashing to the ground, hitting the floor hard and ending up in a tangled mass of arms and legs. 

"Wheeler, get off of me!!"

"I would if you'd let go of me!"

"Wait – what?? I can't see a thing! What am I touching…?"

"That…would be my ass…"

"_AUGH!!_"

The two young men frantically pulled apart, breathing hard and trying to let their eyes adjust to the dark. A small sweat-drop formed on Shadi's head before he recomposed himself and leaned towards the newcomers, asking, "Are you both alright?"

At the same instant, both Joey and Kaiba glanced up, gaping first at Shadi and then the room around them. "Where the hell are we…?" Kaiba muttered.

"Some prison for souls," Weevil said simply, shifting on his spot on the floor.

"Huh? Weevil?!?" Joey cried, crawling towards the younger boy on his hands and knees, "You're alive?? Or am I…dead…?"

"Neither of you are dead," Shadi said, realizing now that he was probably going have to explain this many more times before this all was over, "Your souls and bodies have been separated. You are now in the Shadow Realm."

"Oh…" Joey said, sitting back.

"The what…?" Kaiba said, "Wait…Shadow Realm…I've heard that before…This is more of that damn magic shit you keep talking about, isn't it, Wheeler?"

"Yeah…" Joey sighed, and then turned to Shadi, "Is there any hope of us getting' outta here?"

"We must place our trust in the Pharaoh," Shadi said, "Or place it not at all."

Joey nodded, thinking, _I sure hope Yugi an' Yami are doin' okay…_

* * *

Yami growled angrily, "We'll see!"

The Pharaoh and the Thief suddenly felt the tremor around the Pyramid, but both were too focused on the moment to take much notice of it. Yami began to pull cards out of his deck, wondering to himself about the duel to come. _So, I am the first to have to face the Ring. Well, better me than one of my friends…_ (Kuriboh, Dark Magician, Card Destruction, Gamma the Magnet Warrior, Monster Reborn, Horn of the Unicorn), "First off, I'll lay one card face-down (Monster Reborn)."

The primeval king smiled as he pulled his next card out of his hand and laid it on his computerized Dueling machine, "Next, I'll play the magic card Card Destruction! We'll each discard our hands and start over fresh!"

The white-haired Yami's eyes widened, "WHAT?!?!?! DAMN YOU!" he violently slammed his five cards into the graveyard and redrew his five (Spirit Reaper, Bark of the Dark Ruler, Des Lacooda, Hiro's Shadow Scout, Raigeki Break)

Dark Yugi said nothing and placed his four cards in the graveyard and redrew the same number (Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, Fissure, Dust Tornado, Dark Hole). Pressing the button on his Duel Disk that was just above his face-down card, the green magic card activated, "Now, with the power of Monster Reborn I will revive my Dark Magician (2500/2100) in attack mode!" 

A dark storm cloud formed above the field, and purple lightning struck the ground in front of Yami. He shielded his eyes and as the brilliant flash of light dimmed, he saw his faithful Dark Magician standing in front of him. Wait…standing…? Yami cocked an eyebrow, puzzled. Duel Monsters usually floated a few feet above the ground, but the Dark Magician's feet were placed firmly on the stone floor, and he seemed to give off an essence of weight that he never had before. 

To Yami's great astonishment, the embodiment of his favorite card turned towards him and bowed respectfully. Then, even more shockingly, he opened his mouth and spoke in a voice that was clearly tenor, but strong nevertheless, "My Lord…it is good to see you once again. How have you been?" The Magician's blue eyes flashed intensely and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Uh...er…um… I'm fine..." The ruler spluttered out.

Yami Bakura's eyes were wider than ever. _ What the hell is going on here?_

The spirit of the Puzzle continued, very befuddled now, "How is it that you're able to talk?" Yugi's spirit was hiding behind Yami, slightly scared by this turn of events.

"Why Master!" the Dark Magician said, looking slightly affronted, "I've been able to speak ever since I was a small child – as you yourself have. Have the requirements of serving you changed? Is speaking no longer permitted?"

Yami shook his head (perhaps trying to clear it?) "Of course it's permitted, but… it's just been… um… such a long time since you have spoken…"

"Well, it's been a long time since you've called for my services," D.M. replied. Then the sight of Yugi's spirit, poking his head out from behind Yami, clutching his arm, caught the Magician's eyes and he cried, "Young Master?!" and reached out, catching Yugi around the shoulder's and drawing him closer, "Ahh, how fondly I remember the Young Master," he said, hugging Yugi to him, "But how is it that both child and adult forms are present at the same time…?" he asked, looking to Yami.

"It's a long story, but I can't explain it to you right now," Yami told his favorite Duel Monster, as he eyed Yami Bakura, who was looking positively livid, "I have a duel to win now. Can I count on you my friend?"

"Of course, sire," the Dark Magician nodded, setting Yugi down, "Where is the infidel who dares to challenge you?"

"Behind you," Yami said, pointing, "But I'm afraid that we cannot attack him this turn. We must wait until he makes his move."

"I see," D.M. said, turning towards Yami Bakura, "Very well then. We shall bide our time."

The Pharaoh picked three cards from his hand and began to place them in their proper slots in the Duel Disk 2, "Now, I'll lay one card face-down (Dust Tornado) and summon Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1200) in attack mode!"

The horned lion leapt out of nowhere onto the field, next to the Dark Magician, who jumped back, slightly alarmed. It let out a roar as it circled Yami, sniffing at him. Recognizing the scent of its master, Gazelle rubbed its shaggy head against the Pharaoh, purring affectionately.

Yami Bakura's eyebrow twitched. He didn't know how this lunacy was occurring, but he had already had just about enough of it, "Are you quite finished?"

(Dark Magician was looking quite affronted, "How rude!") The once mighty king of Egypt nodded and Yami Bakura pulled out another card from his deck (Appropriate) and began to put his cards on the field, "I place three cards face-down (Appropriate, Bark of Dark Ruler, and Raigeki Break) and one monster in defense mode (Spirit Reaper (300/200))." All three of the cards appeared on the field, brown-backed and mysterious.

Yami clucked softly at his opponent, "Already you're hiding, cowering behind your monster. You know that you won't win that way, as I'll prove to you right now!" He drew his next card (The Illusory Gentleman), "This'll do nicely. First, I activate my trap card: Dust Tornado! It will destroy the card on your far left!" As the whirlwind storm rushed towards the card, Yami Bakura pressed a button that lit up red on his Duel Disk as he did so.

"I'm activating that particular card, the Raigeki Break!" He moved Des Lacooda from his hand into the Graveyard and snarled sinisterly at Yami, "By discarding a card from my hand (Des Lacooda), not only does it render your trap a waster, but it allows me to destroy one card on your side of the field and I choose: Your Gazelle!" 

Out of Yami Bakura's trap card came a large, gnarled, blue-skinned hand. The hand pointed its forefinger at Gazelle and a jolt of red lightning shot across the field, striking the lion so quickly that it didn't have time even to react. In a burst of smoke, the King of Mythical Beasts was gone. 

Yami scowled, fists clenched, as he watched the last wisps of smoke disappear. "Wait a second!" Yugi said, "Why didn't he use that trap to get rid of the Dark Magician??" The translucent boy turned his gaze on the purple-clad Magician, "Not that I'm not glad he was spared – but it doesn't make sense. He was the strongest monster on the field."

"I don't know, Yugi," Yami said, "He must have something else planned…"

* * *

"And that brings your Life Points to zero!" Mai cried triumphantly. 

Konton was looking devastated. "How…how is this possible…? I'm unbeatable!!"

"Sorry," Mai said, "I told you that you couldn't win, but you kids just have to learn everything the hard way…" She was about to continue in this same manor, when her former opponent let out a scream. "What the–?!?"

The gold chain around Konton's neck was glowing brightly and he was clutching his head, moaning in agony. A second later, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Omigod!" Mai cried, rushing over to him, "What the hell…?" She knelt down, checking his pulse. "What happened to him??"

"The same thing that's about to happen to you," said a deep voice behind her. She looked up, and her eyes widened. Jetsu was standing over her, his black armor flashing maliciously in the torchlight.

"You?!" she cried.

"Get up," he said, grabbing the collar of her cloak and yanking her to her feet, "and duel me."

"Never…" she shook her head.

"Don't you want to go out fighting??" he asked, "It's what your precious Joey did…"

"You…_you monster_!!!" she cried, pulling out of his grasp, angry tears stinging her eyes as she activated her DD2.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Jetsu said.


	30. Chapter 30 Duel Montage: The Best of the...

A Note From the Authors: We just received our longest review ever and he addressed a few issues that we felt needed explaining once and for all. First of all: the age issue. Personally, we don't care what the anime or manga says, Yugi is just _too damn short _to be the same age as everybody else. Some people may argue that it's in his genes to be short, like his Grandpa, but that's crap. Old people shrink - that's why Grandpa's short. So, in our version of the story, Yugi will remain younger than all his friends, except perhaps Tsuki, who is a completely original character by the way.

Second: that whole angsty Yugi/Yami scene was written before we'd seen the "Joey's Betrayal" episodes on TV. And in our opinion, dueling Pegasus couldn't have been that scary - the dude's a fruitcake. 

Third: as far as characters saying things that don't seem in-character go, I (Invader Sam) will only have a character say something if I can hear their English voice actor saying it. If I can't than it doesn't go in. That's the best I can do for you. 

Finally: I know a lot of people were confused by Void's calling Dedi "Mother" right before he passed out, so I might as well take the opportunity to explain that now while we're explaining things. Void walking the fine line between consciousness and unconsciousness, and overwhelmed by heat and exhaustion he was starting to hallucinate. Dedi was the only person who had ever showed him true kindness, and therefore, in his unstable condition, he imagined her as what a mother-figure might be.

Shaun: ::raps Sam on the head with a short stick:: Bad writer! Bad symbolistic writer!!

Sam: Ow! ::rubs head:: Anyway, that's all for now. If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask in your review of this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 30

"Duel Montage: The Best of the Best (The Final Six)"

"Honestly, the shit they expect us to put up with!" Jeffrey Daniels, 17-year-old American duelist extraordinaire muttered to himself. It was ridiculous; absurd even! Having to waste his time with the rest of the filth in this tournament just to get a chance (a chance, mind you!) to collect his prize money. Ridiculous!

As he rounded yet another bend in this complex madhouse, the young man suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, listening carefully. It had been quite boring so far, so the sound of rapid footsteps was rather inviting. After waiting for just a moment, there soon came a shadow and eager thoughts began to creep into the boy's head: _Ahhhh… my first opponent… good! I could use a warm up before the final bout…_

Vitani stepped out into the circular room, and was surprised to see the tall, lanky teen standing there, as if waiting for her. She'd never realized hunting out the scum would be so simple! "Well, well, well," she said, stopping a few feet in front of the boy, hands on her hips, "What do we have here? Another challenge, I suppose? That is what you want, isn't it, boy?"

The teen glared back at the new arrival, "You? A challenge for me? I should hardly think that a simple tournament _coordinator_ would be much of a duelist, let alone a challenge for me. Why don't you just go and tell your… what was it: Master? That Jeffrey Daniels is coming for him! I'm going to win this tournament!"

Vitani threw back her head and laughed. "You?? My Master will not have to be bothered with the likes of you. I will make sure of that. Because in order to gain an audience with him, you have to get through me!" She pulled the Millennium Sword out of its hilt and swung it lazily in front of her. Its gold blade sparkled in the torchlight, "And something tells me you will be more than glad to accept my challenge."

He gulped nervously and nearly tripped trying to back away, his courage lost, "What kind of duelist has to threaten their superiors just for a chance to duel?" Jeffrey murmured to himself, but he had already started to activate his Duel Disk 2.

"You feel you're my superior?" Vitani asked, sheathing the blade, "Prove it. If you really have that much confidence in your skills, then why turn me down? I should be easy prey for someone with your…skills." She said the last word almost mockingly, brushing her hair out of her face as she spoke.

"Fine. Let's duel!"

* * *

Dedi had been walking for what seemed like forever. She rubbed the back of her neck boredly, wishing she had a better grasp on the present situation. After the small earthquake, she had continued on her way, hoping to find some sign of activity in the oversized tomb, but to no avail. She was beginning to worry that she'd be lost in the maze of tunnels forever when she heard someone cry out in a sort of surprised triumph, and she looked up. 

A boy with black hair and freckles was standing in front of her, smirking slightly. "At last," he said, "Someone to duel!"

Dedi sighed, a mix of relief and disappointment flooding over her. This was not who she'd been hoping to find, but at least it was someone. And dueling would take her mind off of worrying about the others. "A duel, huh? Sure, I'm game," she said, "What's your name, kid?"

"Alex McGinnis," the boy said, jutting out his chin, the lenses of his glasses flashing, "And yours?"

"You can call me Dedi," the Queen of Egypt replied, "Just Dedi. Shall we begin?"

"I'd be happy to defeat you!" Alex said, "This should be all too easy!"

Dedi said nothing, and just smiled. A new sort of confidence had come over her since Yugi had remodeled Tsuki's deck. This kid was going to get more of a challenge than he bargained for.

* * *

Yami eyed Bakura's double suspiciously but continued on, "Very well then, now I will replace my lost Gazelle with the Illusory Gentleman (1500/1600) in attack mode!" 

Out of a black void that had formed on the stone floor rose a tall man dressed in oranges and reds, holding a thin, spiked staff in one gloved hand and hiding his face behind a purple, bug-like helmet. He turned his one eye towards Yami and blinked. "So you are who I serve today," he said, his voice clear despite his lack of visible mouth, "Very well."

The Pharaoh pointed his finger over at Bakura, "I don't know what you were thinking in attacking my Gazelle with your trap, but it's going to cost you dearly! Dark Magician, destroy his monster!" Without thinking twice the mighty mage raised his hand and blasted a wave of invisible magical energies at the face-down monster. A small, purple-robed decaying creature holding a giant scythe appeared and took the blast full force. A large explosion followed as the blast broke apart and the chamber was filled with dust for a moment.

Yami smiled to himself and turned to his favorite monster, "Excellent work."

The Dark Magician bowed respectfully, "Thank you master."

Yami Bakura grinned nastily and waited for the smoke and dust to clear. The Pharaoh would be in for a bit of a surprise…

The forceful ruler didn't wait before announcing his next move, "Now, Illusory Gentleman, attack him directly!"

The cyclops-spellcaster took several steps forward, as if to attack, but suddenly slowed down and halted. Surprisingly, the monster walked back to Yami and looked down upon the duelist, "I cannot, sir."

Yugi and Yami both nearly fell over in surprise. Yami angrily addressed his subordinate again, "And why not?"  
The being showed no sign of recognizing that hostile feelings were directed at him and continued, "The white-haired duelist is still defended, sir."

The Dark Magician scoffed, "Surely you jest! I have eliminated his defense, I assure you!"

The Illusory Gentleman simply pointed towards Bakura's side of the field, where the other duelist had begun to chuckle softly, "Your monster is more intelligent than you are, my liege! HA HA HA!" The purple-cloaked monster had reappeared on Bakura's side of the field, once again using the large scythe to defend itself. The evil spirit of the Ring beamed, obviously pleased that he had been able to surprise Yami, "Welcome back, Spirit Reaper!"

Yugi looked over at Yami Bakura, confused, "But the Dark Magician destroyed that monster! It should be in the graveyard!"

The Illusory Gentleman turned its quizzical eye towards the King of Games, "Shall I attempt to destroy that creature, sir? Its stats appear to be lower than my own."

Yami shook his head, "No, we will wait for an explanation."

The thief sighed, "How typical. King Yami is out of the loop as usual," the soul stealer ran a hand through his long, crazy hair, and then continued, "The Spirit Reaper cannot be destroyed in battle, no matter how many attacks are directed at him!"

Yami and Yugi cast wary glances at each other. If they couldn't destroy the Spirit Reaper, Yami Bakura had the ability to drag the duel on and deck them out! It was the perfect defense. 

* * *

With a final cry, Mai crumbled to the floor, her long blonde hair pooling out around her. The once pearly locks were now tinted with blood and matted with sweat. A shining, scuff-less black boot nudged her. She did not stir.

Behind his mask, Jetsu smirked. She had fought resiliently, but like all others before her, she had fallen. He turned abruptly, his cape billowing out behind him as he left the chamber. He had more important victims to deal with before the day was through…

As Jetsu made his way through the corridors, a cry much like his previous victims' echoed off the walls. Another duel had just been brought to a conclusion. Perhaps the victor would be one of the few he sought. He followed the fading echo until he came upon another chamber, where he beheld a most amusing sight. 

The Pharaoh's loyal lover was standing over a teenage boy with dark hair who had just recently had his soul removed in shock. Her hands were shaking and from the way her ebony hair was glistening, he could tell she was sweating. "Well, what a coincidence this is…" he said, startling her. 

She turned to face him, her brown eyes wide, "Jetsu!"

"At your service, your _highness_," he said mockingly, bowing low, his cape brushing the floor, "I must say," he said as he straightened, "You've saved me a lot a trouble by being so close at hand. It will make things much easier for me." 

"I suppose you plan to do to me what I…" Dedi paused to glance warily at her fallen previous opponent, "…did to him…His soul has been stripped away, right?"

"Very good," Jetsu nodded, "Separated from the body and transported to my Dungeon of Souls…where you will soon be joining him." He activated his DD2 and Dedi reloaded hers, preparing for the worst.

* * *

"Stupid boy," Vitani murmured quietly to herself as she stepped over her latest victim. There couldn't be many left now. Soon the real challenges would begin. Soon…

* * *

Athena was tearing down the corridors at break-neck speed, her boots pounding on the torch-lit stone floors, her heart racing. At the moment, she was feeling the scene of her duel. She'd known Jetsu would have some punishment in store for those defeated in the finals, but she'd never witnessed a person have their soul forced out of their body. And to think that she was somewhat responsible! Surely it was Jetsu and his magic that were mostly to blame, but if she had only allowed the girl to go free without a duel…

She'd made up her mind not to duel any other innocent competitors if she could help it. Her soul objective now was to track down Jetsu. What she did after that…well, she was still working that part of the plan out in her head.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Dungeon of Souls, the number of prisoners was slowly rising. The pile of unconscious bodies was growing, and Shadi warned those that were conscious not to disturb them. They were probably all better off not knowing what was going on. The Egyptian was still seated Indian-style on the floor, eyes closed in meditation most of the time. Weevil had moved himself to a corner, where a large amount of spiders were gathering around him. Kaiba was pacing across the floor, hands behind his back, growing more frustrated with the situation with every step, but trying to remain composed. 

Joey was sitting a little ways off by himself, worrying much more about the welfare of his friends than his own. He flicked a small rock across the floor, watching it skid in and out of the light of the blue-flame torches. At that moment, the now-familiar sound of a new soul entering the dimension rumbled in the distance. He glanced up anxiously, as he did every time, trying to see if it was a familiar figure falling down from the blackness above them. As the body fell towards them, he recognized the long blonde hair and jumped to his feet. "Mai!!" he cried, rushing past Kaiba to where she would fall.

"Your _what_??" Kaiba asked indignantly.

Joey ignored him and held out his arms. At the speed she was falling, he was nearly knocked off his feet when she landed in his arms. He felt his knees buckle with the force, but he determinedly stayed on his feet. Shakily, he lowered himself to the ground, holding her limp form close to him. She was out cold, and he brushed a hand against her cheek gently.

"You should not wake her," Shadi said and Joey twisted around to see that the Egyptian had opened one eye to gaze at him, "Put her in the pile with the others."

"What?? No way!!" Joey cried, clutching her more tightly. She moaned softly and all his attention was reverted back to her. "Mai…can ya hear me…? Come on…wake up…"

Mai's big purple eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly up at him, "Joey…?" she asked, reaching up and touching his face, as if making sure he was real, "What happened…where am I…?"

"It's kind of a long story…" Joey said as he helped her into a sitting position.

"But, of course," Kaiba said, resuming his pacing, "we've got nothing but time. So please Wheeler, enlighten us with what your tiny brain managed to comprehend of the situation."

Joey shot Kaiba a nasty look and then began.

* * *

Athena's Hourglass was glowing brightly now, which caused her to slow her pace for an instant. Another Millennium Item was close now… Maybe it was Jetsu! As she hurriedly turned a corner to continue her search for her nemesis, there was a flash of movement and suddenly she felt the cold touch of sharp metal just slightly pressed against her throat.

"Going somewhere, Athena?" a cold voice asked. The Greek's pale blue eyes darted to her right and met another pair of the same color. Vitani was standing beside her, holding the Millennium Sword at arms length. It was the gold blade of the Sword that was only centimeters from slashing her throat. 

"Vitani…" Athena said through gritted teeth, "How did you get a hold of the Sword?"

"Lord Jetsu felt that I was able to serve him better with use of one of his Millennium Items." She responded informatively, "He really has surpassed you and yours now. And that is exactly why he need not be bothered by the likes of you." 

Vitani sheathed the blade just as quickly as she had drawn it and took several steps back, "We will duel. Now."

"Duel?" Athena echoed. This was certainly not what she had been expecting. A Millennium battle is what she'd figured would follow, but a duel was perhaps easier. "Very well…Do the stakes remain the same? The loser loses their soul?"

"Not in this case," Vitani said, "You see, only those who have the Millennium charm necklaces are vulnerable to instant-soul-deprivation."

"So Jetsu set his magic on the charms…" Athena said, as she activated her DD2, "A clever trick, getting the contestants to complete the puzzle that would be their demise…"

"Lord Jetsu is far more then clever," Vitani said, doing the same, "Though you won't have the honor of witnessing his genius."

Athena selected her six cards and watched as her Duel Disk shot out the holo-projectors around the crowded corridor, not bothering to ask Vitani if it was okay to go first. She was the challenged after all (De-Spell, Gravekeeper's Spy, Gravekeeper's Curse, Gravekeeper's Chief, Necrovalley, Hinotama), "For my first move, I'll place one monster in defense mode (Gravekeeper's Spy (1200/2000)) and place the field card Necrovalley down!" 

As soon as the card was placed on the Duel Disk, the stone walls began morphing into jagged canyon walls. The ceiling dissolved and was replaced by a red-orange sky, with a golden sunset in the distance. "Now, I'll end my turn," Athena finished, trying to hide her astonishment at the transformation the corridor had gone through.

* * *

Yami crossed his arms, "Then I end my turn. Don't think that that monstrosity of yours will protect you from me forever. I will find a way to destroy it and take you down!"

Bakura drew his card quickly (Opticlops) and placed it on the field, "I summon Opticlops (1800/1700) in attack mode!" A large, muscular, brown one-eyed creature appeared, hunched over but standing before its master. The dark spirit of the Ring patted the horned creature fondly, "Now, Opticlops, attack the Pharaoh's Illusory Gentleman and take a bite out of his life points!"

The creature lumbered forwards, and crashed into the surprised spellcaster head-first. The horn struck the monster right through and the point speared Yami slightly. He gasped and put both hands on the horn, then pushed, and the tip came out of him. Dark red drips began to stain the surrounding fabric of his shirt and the ground. 

Yugi watched in horror as the monster fell to the floor, gushing blood. He lingered only for a moment before fading away. The boy put a hand over his mouth, looking like he might be sick as the Gentleman's left over blood seeped across the floor towards them. 

The Dark Magician waved his hand and the blood vanished, and then the purple clad young man bowed his head in honor of the Gentleman's sacrifice. Yami: 3700 – Bakura: 4000.

* * *

Jetsu slowly walked over to the unconscious women lying on the floor across from him, the Millennium Scale still clutched loosely in her hand, "Won't the Pharaoh be disappointed when I tell him that you're no longer with us." The Shield glowed at his side and Dedi disappeared, leaving little Tsuki in her place. The girl sat up, throbbing all over, and the minute she spotted Jetsu, began trembling.

His voice feigned warmth as he reached out to her, "Now, little girl…you just hand over the Scale and no one gets hurt…"

There were silent tears streaming down Tsuki's cheeks as she let the Scale fall out of her hands. _I'm letting you down, Dedi…I…I can't stand up to him…I'm too afraid… _

"Poor child…" Jetsu said, putting a hand on her head as she continued to cry, "Don't worry…this won't hurt…too much…" The Shield glowed and Tsuki's pupils vanished from her wet, gray eyes. Then she fell over sideways, hitting the stone floor with a soft 'thud'. 

Jetsu picked up the shining Scale, and left her there, his metal boots clanking softly and echoing through the corridor.


	31. Chapter 31 Duel to the Last: The Fiend a...

A Note from the Authors: We're back again! We apologize for the slowness of the updates, but with school just starting, things have been pretty crazy around here. But anyway, here it is! And Chapter 32 is already finished, so that'll be coming shortly!

* * *

Chapter 31

"Duel to the Last:

The Fiend and the Pharaoh!!"

Vitani raised an amused eyebrow. _Well that might actually make this match interesting…_ she thought as she selected her next card and added it to her hand (Marauding Captain, Hayabusa Knight, Secret Passage to the Treasures, Pyramid Energy, Banner of Courage, Heart of Clear Water), "To start with I summon the Marauding Captain (1200/400) in attack mode!" The dashing blonde knight rushed out of his card, sword drawn and at the ready as Vitani laid another card down on the field, "And with his special effect, I summon yet another Earth monster, the Hayabusa Knight (1000/700)!" Out of the Marauding Captain's card came another warrior, this one a bird-like creature holding twin swords in gold gauntleted hands.

Athena cast a doubtful glance at her opponent, "It doesn't really matter how many monsters you have if they're all so feeble."

Vitani grinned wickedly, "But that's the point, don't you see? Marauding Captain protects other warriors from magic and attack, while my Hayabusa picks you apart, starting now. I will play the Heart of Clear Water on my Captain," The warrior type raised his free hand and an aura of water surrounded him, "This protective magic card will shield any monster with under 1300 attack power from being destroyed in battle or by magic cards that have but one target."

Athena frowned, "Kind of ironic, don't you think? You don't have a heart of clear anything, in my opinion. It's just like you to try anything to cheat death, isn't it?" 

Vitani ignored her and continued with her turn. "Then this card will go face-down for now (Pyramid Energy), and I'll use these last two magic cards to strengthen my Hayabusa Knight: First, the Secret Passage to the Treasures." She placed her final two cards into the Duel Disk and folded her now-empty hands across her chest, "This card allows one monster with 1000 attack power or under to attack directly for the duration of my turn. My Hayabusa will do nicely for this, don't you think?"

Athena grimaced slightly, but then brightened, "Your monster may hit me for 1000 points, but that amount won't really matter in the long run. I'm still going to defeat you."

Vitani watched as her next magic card appeared on the field "Is that so? Well this continuous magic card, called Banner of Courage, which will increase the attack power of all monster on my side of the field during my battle phase, which will bring the direct damage dealt to you up to 1200." A large half-red, half-white banner on a tall wooden pool planted itself firmly behind the two monsters on Vitani's side of the field, eating several inches right off of the hard stone floor. 

The blonde sighed and began to lean against her Banner, "Weren't rules just made to be broken? Perhaps I'll take it another step or two further just for you… Hayabusa! Attack her directly now!" The bird-knight rushed forward and leapt over the brown, face-down defense that was protecting Athena and just before he could hit, Vitani pushed the small red button just above her face-down card, revealing her magic card, "Activate Pyramid Energy!" she shouted.

The metallic outline of a small pyramid surrounded her side of the playing field, and began to glow brightly. When it had finished, both of her monsters had gained 200 attack power. Hayabusa Knight swung one of its razor-sharp blades down at Athena, intent on decimating her life points. 

Calmly, Athena closed her eyes and turned over the Millennium Hourglass in her hand, and everything froze around her. As the tiny grains of crushed stone began to descend into the new lower portion of the magical instrument, Athena walked several paces to her right, no longer in harm's way. The sands held time in its place for several more seconds before everything began to regain the original momentum it had had.

The warrior finished his swing, though the sword made no contact. Vitani blinked several times, confused, but then noticed Athena fingering the Millennium Hourglass slowly. She chuckled a bit, "Well, you've still lost 1400 life points, but I still haven't gotten to see what I'm most interested in: your blood! Hayabusa, attack again!"

Athena gasped. _Again!?!? But how-_ She never completed her thought, as the Knight whirled around and swung again, this time with its other rapier. She leapt aside but wasn't quite quick enough. She felt a searing pain shoot up her left arm, and she clutched at it, her hand landing on the tear in her sleeve as well as in her flesh. 

* * *

"Yami, are you alright?" Yugi was reaching toward his older counterpart, looking concerned.

"That beast!" The Dark Magician sputtered almost beyond words, "I'll kill him, master!" 

Yami straightened up once again, "Finished?" The dark Bakura nodded smugly, and Yami pulled another card from his deck (Magic Cylinder) "I lay one card face-down (Magic Cylinders)," He glanced up at the Dark Magician, "Old friend, I'm counting on you."

The purple-clad magician bowed respectfully to him in reply. Yami pointed at Opticlops, "Attack that monster and destroy it! Go Dark Magician!" With a rush of wind, the mightiest of the enchanters flew towards his opponent, staff at the ready.

Yami Bakura cackled savagely, "Yes!" He activated one of his remaining two traps, "I will play Bark of the Dark Ruler!" The trap card revealed itself and a giant green head pushed itself out of the card. The head was donned in a gold, red and purple headdress, with blue glass spheres over where its ears might be. It's yellow teeth ere exposed in a wide, demonic grin.

Yami Yugi's eyes widened in surprise, "What is that thing?" he asked distrustfully.

"By sacrificing 800 of my own life points…" the giant green head opened its mouth and spat a bolt of lightning out at its controller, which knocked the crazed spirit to the floor. He sat up and spat quickly, his spittle mixing in with blood from a small wound somewhere. The wide, sinister smile he gave Yami was frightful, as the blood red of his own bodily fluids stained several of his pearly white teeth. He licked his teeth wickedly, "I can lower your monster's attack power by 800 points, making it weaker than my Opticlops!" 

Yugi and his counterpart cried out at the same instant, "NO!" The Dark Magician too was zapped by the lightning of the head, and felt his strength suddenly fail him. The Duel Disk on Yami's arm lowered Dark Magician down to 1700/2100, dooming the servant of the pharaoh.

There was a sickening crunch that neither Yami nor Yugi watched. When they looked up, the Dark Magician had vanished. Yami Yugi: 3600 – Yami Bakura: 3200. 

Bakura had stood up once again, cracking his neck from side to side, "Will that be all, or may I get on with my victory?" 

"You'll pay for that, starting now!" Yami placed one of the last two cards that he had one the field, "Dark Hole will destroy both of your monsters, which leaves you open to attack next turn!" A giant, swirling black vortex appeared and both of the creatures on the field were sucked into the abyss above them.

Folding his arms, the tomb raider gave Yami a confident stare, "You're basing this on the assumption that I won't have another monster to play? That a bit of a far-fetched stretch, isn't it?" He selected another card off the top of his deck (Master Kyonshee), "This one should do nicely; I summon Master Kyonshee (1750/1000) in attack position!" Out of the card came a blue-skinned monster. It was clad in yellow pants and a long purple overcoat, but the strangest feature was the paper that was over his face, which was currently blank. The creature made no noise, but assumed a fighting pose.

_It's not a bad draw, but it won't help him. Not this turn…_ Yami noticed Yugi's worried expression, placed a hand on his counterpart's shoulder and spoke softly to him, "Don't worry. Trust me."

Yugi nodded and then let himself dissolve back into his body, not taking control, but having instant access to Yami's strategies from there. It was time for him to start taking a bit more active role in this duel.

Yami Bakura eyed the Pharaoh with contempt. _He must be planning something… but even if he manages to stop my attack this turn, I'll destroy him once his defense is gone!_ "Master Kyonshee, attack him directly!" A short message appeared on the short piece of parchment that covered the zombie's face (Imperial Decree- Execution!) and the monster leapt towards Yami.

"I activate my trap: The Magic Cylinder!" Instead of redirecting a projectile from the creature, several words were scrawled over the neat writing on the paper: Betrayal Decree- Execution! It abruptly turned around and smashed Yami Bakura in the face with a flying kick, which sent the stunned spirit airborne until the cold stone wall of the chamber stopped his progress. Yami Yugi: 3600 – Yami Bakura: 1550.

The white-haired young man took a few moments picking himself up off the chamber floor, spitting angrily and gingerly holding his broken nose. Panting and mopping his bloody face with the sleeve of his cloak, he got to his feet. "I suppose I should have expected something like that…" he said, "but don't think for a minute that this duel is anywhere near over!"

"It will be if you keep making amateur mistakes like that!" Yami selected another glossy card from his duel disk (Gamma the Magnet Warrior), "I play one monster face-down (Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1500/1800)) in defense mode and end my turn!"  
"Very well, you're just one step closer to the end Pharaoh!" The Spirit looked at his card (Headless Knight) and frowned coldly. _Feh, worthless_… "I set one monster in defense as well (Hiro's Shadow Scout (650/500)) and attack again with Master Kyonshee!"

The magnet warrior was revealed and used its shield to throw the zombie creature back at its controller. Yami looked over at the surprised Yami Bakura with satisfaction, "My Gamma has 50 more defense power than your creature's attack, so you'll take the damage to your life points!" Yami Yugi: 3600 – Yami Bakura: 1500. 

"Now, for my move," the king selected his card (Mage Power), "Now, for your finish! I tribute my Gamma for the Dark Magician Girl (2300/1700)!" There was a spouting of pink and blue smoke out of nowhere and the scent of bubble-gum filled the room. As the smoke cleared and the smell faded, the blonde young woman was standing in front of Yami. But she didn't look like her usual cheerful self. Quite the contrary, actually; she looked very solemn. She bowed deeply to Yami and said quietly, "My beloved has fallen in your service, has he not, master?"

"Yes, he has," Yami answered her clearly, no longer surprised by talking duel monsters, "But now is no time for grieving, or his sacrifice will have been in vain!"

The Dark Magician Girl nodded, her big blue eyes brimming with tears. "Yes master," she said, "Instruct me so that I may avenge the fallen one."

"I now equip my monster with Mage Power, raising her attack power by 500 points (2800/1700)!" He pointed at the waiting zombie, 'Attack Master Kyonshee now!" The girl mage rushed forward and blasted the monster at point-blank range with her magic staff, shattering him into a thousand pieces and smashing Bakura in the process. He crumpled to the ground, the sudden loss of life points weighing heavy on the spirit. Yami Yugi: 3600 – Yami Bakura: 450.

Yami Bakura shakily stood up, panting heavily, "Just you wait, Pharaoh… you wait…" he picked another card off of the top of his deck (Reversal Quiz) and stared at it almost in incredulity. His laughter started slowly, softly, almost so the others couldn't hear it. Then it grew in volume by the second until finally he tossed his head back and was in hysterics, still holding the card in his hand.

The Dark Magician Girl glanced back at Yami, utterly bewildered. "Do you suppose he's cracked??"

"I'm not sure. He's never been stable, but losing must have finally gotten to him." He raised his voice so that Bakura's captor would be able to hear him as well, "I think I missed the joke, Thief!"

Yami Bakura's laugher died away and he wiped his tearing eyes. "Oh, you will understand soon enough, Pharaoh," he said, "First…I'll flip Hiro's Shadow Scout into attack mode." Out of the card crawled an ugly, short, blue, one-eyed monster with a neon green buzz-cut hairdo. It blinked rather dully, and folded its arms over its chest, "This card's effect requires that my opponent draws three cards, and any magic cards are discarded. So go ahead, your majesty. Don't hold us in suspense…"

"Hmph." Yami drew his cards without looking at them and flipped them face-up once he held three: De-fusion… Swords of Revealing Light… Exchange! He eyes widened in shock and consternation, then angrily pushed all three into the graveyard.

Yami Bakura smirked. "All three?? Well, this really is a nice surprise, I must say." He placed the last card in his hand down on his Duel Disk, "Now, for my final move of the turn, the magic card Reversal Quiz!" Down from the ceiling came a large, green pedestal, with a little man who looked a lot like the Mad Hatter sitting on it. 

The 'Mad Hatter' pulled a microphone out of thin air and spoke into it in a voice much too big to realistically be his, "All right!!! By destroying every card in Bakura's hand and on his side of the field, He is allowed a great chance. A chance to guess what type of card his next draw will be." Three different cards appeared above them near the ceiling of the room, each labeled appropriately: Magic, Trap, and Monster.

"And if he's correct?" Yami egged him on, knowing how much Bakura's imposter was enjoying keeping him in suspense.

"Well that's simple," the little man said, "He exchanges his current life points with those of his opponent! Now then… let the guessing begin!!" 

Yami Bakura looked at the three cards and announced loudly, "My next card is a monster!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the cards began to spin madly above them, creating a mini-twister. After a few seconds of this, the tornado wormed its way to the top of Yami Bakura's deck. He reached down and pulled out the top one, holding it out for Yami to see. "Well…?" he said, "Don't leave me in suspense. What is it?"

"Oh shit!" Yami swore. The card was Yami Bakura's Dark Necrofear.

"I'll take that to mean I guessed correctly," the thief said with a smirk.

"Congratulations!!" boomed the 'Mad Hatter', "Let's get you your prize!!" He pressed the two buttons on the pedestal in front of him. Immediately, a wave of pain hit Yami so suddenly that he fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Through blurry eyes, he watched as Yami Bakura held his hands above his head, as if enjoying a refreshing rainfall. At last the pain receded and the Pharaoh pushed himself off the ground, mumbling a long line of Egyptian profanities. 

Yami Yugi: 450 – Yami Bakura: 3600.

"With no cards left, that makes it my turn!" Yami pulled another card shakily out of his Duel Disk 2 (Soul Release), "This is it! First, I'll lay one card face down (Soul Release), bringing the Dark Magician Girl's attack power up to 3300! Attack him again!" The powerful spellcaster swooped in for another attack, throwing Yami Bakura several feet back with its power. Yami Yugi: 450 – Yami Bakura: 300.

The spirit picked himself up slowly, "Are you finished?"

"No!" Yami told him loudly, "Now I activate my magic card, the Soul Release! It allows me to remove up to five cards from your graveyard! Starting with your fiends!"

Bakura's evil counterpart simply stood rooted to the spot, dazed. If the Pharaoh was removing his fiends, then that meant… that the Dark Necrofear was coming…

That he could have won…


	32. Chapter 32 The Sword and The Hourglass: ...

Chapter 32

"The Sword and The Hourglass: Pasts Revealed!"

As Vitani laughed triumphantly, Athena tore off the lower half of her sleeve and tied it around the wound with her free hand and her teeth. Cursing softly in Greek, she finished, managing to stem the blood flow, but knowing that now holding up her DD2 was going to be a real problem. 

Not wanting to show weakness, she shouted over Vitani's laughter, "Your deck's just _loaded _with irony, isn't it? "Banner of Courage"?? What courage??" Vitani had been silenced and was glowering at Athena, but the Greek girl continued, the burning in her arm flaring up the fire in her eyes. "You hide behind your tricks and cheats and go running to your master when things get too dangerous, don't you?"

"Shut your mouth!" Vitani growled, "Take your turn before I lose my temper. You wouldn't want that."

"Really? Poor me," Athena smiled a bit, ignoring the pain that was causing her arm to throb and slipped her next card from her deck (Last Will), "First, I'll flip my face-down card into attack mode!," A shadowy, female figure in a dark robe appeared next to her magician.

Vitani gave the creature a confused look, "What is that thing?"

"It's my Gravekeeper's Spy (1700/2500), which allows me to search for another monster with Gravekeeper in its name!" She tried to search through her deck, but it was too difficult to do one handed. She had to try something else, but what? Abruptly, a thought struck her. Placing her good hand on her deck, she said in a clear voice, "I summon you forth in attack mode, Gravekeeper's Curse (1300/1300)!" 

Much to Vitani's amazement, out of her deck came the monster that she had beckoned for. The black-robed, black-haired man appeared in front of the Greek, a spooky green aura surrounding him. Swiftly and without warning, the green energy began to engulf Vitani as well, causing her body to be overwhelmed with pain. He Duel Disk began to click and whirr as the score changed yet again: Vitani: 3500 – Athena: 1200.

"My Gravekeeper's Curse deals 500 points of direct damage whenever it is summoned to the field. And after all the things that you've done, I'd say that you deserve to be cursed!" Athena spat contemptuously in Vitani's direction before going on, "There's more where that came from!

Vitani was panting slightly, and sweat was beading on her forehead. "Like I care…" she said. The fact that she loathed the Greek could not block out the nagging feeling she had that her opponent had a point…but no! She couldn't allow herself to think like that! Not now of all times! She couldn't let herself be tricked by Athena's mind games.

"You should! The Hinotama Magic card deals 500 direct damage to your life points, but you deserve way more than that, which I'll be happy to give you!" A shower of meteors appeared and began to blast Vitani's side of the field. As the largest of the burning rocks drew towards the duelist, she whipped out the Millennium Sword and sliced the boulder in two. The pieces crashed around her and disappeared, than her life points lowered again: Vitani: 3000 – Athena: 1200.

The Grecian picked out another card from her hand and placed down on the mechanical dueling device, "Now, I sacrifice my Gravekeeper's Curse for the more powerful Gravekeeper's Chief (2400/1700)!" There was a flash of psycadelic, neon light and up from a swirling portal in the floor rose a tall, dark Egyptian man. He was wearing a white and green robe, with a matching headband and clutching a staff with a cobra head on the end in one hand. As the light dimmed and the portal began to fade, he nodded a curt greeting to Athena and then turned his brown eyes towards Vitani.

Before the portal closed completely Athena announced her next move, "I invoke the special effect of the Gravekeeper's Chief, taking one Gravekeeper back from the graveyard!"

Vitani's eyes widened and she put up a hand angrily, "Wait a minute! The Necrovalley has made both of our graveyards inaccessible! You can't-"

"Which is the other effect of my wonderful monster: making my graveyard immune to Necrovalley! Welcome back, Gravekeeper's Curse!" Once again, the spellcaster took his place in front of Athena and the green aura surrounded Vitani. Vitani: 2500 – Athena: 1200. The Egyptian woman fell to her knees, panting in pain. This was not going as planned. She was in the lead, but Athena was quickly gaining back her edge!

"Aww, poor Vitani…" Athena said mockingly, as the Chief waved his staff over her wounded arm, easing the pain a little, "You deserve every bit of that…you bitch. I'm gonna make sure you get back double what you let happen to the boy Jetsu nearly killed."

Vitani watched as her sweat made a small puddle beneath her, and soon found herself staring at her own skewed reflection in it. She then realized that tears had begun adding to the sweat as well and she wiped her eyes furiously. The blue-haired boy's face had entered her mind and she felt like she would be sick from the horrible lurching in her stomach. She felt strong hands grip her by one arm and the Marauding Captain lifted her to her feet. 

"You mustn't let her get to you, m'lady," he told her gently.

Vitani seemed about to speak, but Athena cut in first, "My turn isn't quite finished yet! I'll play his magic card, Last Will! This allows me to summon a monster of 1500 ATK or less to the field if I lose a monster of mine! And since, technically, my reborn Gravekeeper's Curse had been tributed, I can bring my second of his kind to the field now in attack mode!" 

A second Curse appeared beside its twin and this time, when the glowing green light engulfed Vitani, she clutched at the Marauding Captain, thankful for his physical-reality. He held her tight, and didn't let her fall to the ground, even though her legs gave out under her. The light faded and she fell against him, breathing heavily, feeling even more nauseous than before. The score was now: Vitani: 2000 – Athena: 1200.

Athena angrily pointed at Vitani, "Lastly, I'll use this De-Spell card on Heart of Clear Water. The effect will keep him alive until the end of this turn, but then he's unprotected. Everyone! Attack the bitch now!" Gravekeeper's Chief pointed his staff at her, but before the powerful magic could hit her, the Marauding Captain pushed her behind him and took the blast in the back. When the smoke cleared, the man was sweating and clenching his teeth in pain. There was a smoking hole in the back of his armor, where burnt flesh was showing. Vitani: 800 – Athena: 1200.

Both Gravekeeper's Curses rushed forward and bashed the bleeding Captain with their rods, one on each side. Vitani: 600 – Athena: 1200. 

Lastly, the Spy rushed in and knocked the man to the ground with a swift chop of her arm to his head. Vitani: 100 – Athena: 1200.

As the beaten figure of the Captain vanished into dust, Vitani fell to her knees once again, landing in the blood he had left behind. She put her face in her hands to hide her tears. _He wasn't even real…why did he bother to protect me…? I deserved that attack…not him… _Then, it was as if a dam broke somewhere deep inside the Egyptian, and a flood of long-dormant emotions rushed through her. All the violence she had witnessed in her quest for power…only now did she realize that her goal had been unachievable from the start. Jetsu had used her, tapped into her thirst for greatness and exploited it. He had never intended to let her share in his glory…she should have known from the start. _I've got to purge myself… _she thought quickly, _rid myself of his influence…_

As Athena watched in silence, Vitani plunged her hands into the Captain's remaining blood and retraced her painted-on tattoos with sticky, dripping fingers. _The honorable blood should cleanse me…I hope… _The magic left in the blood sank deep into her pores and a golden light glowed in her icy blue eyes. 

All at once, she was crying again, but no longer for her fallen servant. Now she was weeping at the feeling of freedom she felt. Athena cocked an eyebrow, thoroughly confused. Vitani picked herself up off the ground, and her eyes locked with Athena's, still glowing gold behind the blue. "You're right…" she said softly, "You're right…" 

_What happened to her…? _Athena wondered, _She's different now…is this some kind of trick??_ "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"Everything…" Vitani said, the tears still streaming down her face, as a small smile curled her lips, "I…I couldn't see it until just now…I _have _been a coward…and others have been hurt for it…" She hung her head and continued, "It's just like when we were kids, Athena…you were always the brave one…and self-less…do you remember…?"

Instinctively, the Greek found herself crossing the corridor and putting a hand on the Egyptian's shoulder. "I couldn't forget. Some of my fondest memories are of childhood. Before you ran off… Before Father died…" Athena's voice tapered off, and she too wiped a tear from her eye.

"Oh, Thena…what have I done??" Vitani cried suddenly, burying her face in Athena's chest, and gripping her arms tightly, to keep herself standing. "I…I've betrayed everyone…the whole family…Father's dead because of me…I've disgraced us all…"

Athena stood stiffly, listening to her adoptive sister's stifled sobs. How many years had it been since they'd been together without being at each other's throats? It must've been almost five years. Vitani had been brash and reckless in her teenage years, and Jetsu had tempted her. She had strayed…but now she had found her way back. As the feeling began to come back to her arms, she put them around Vitani, rubbing her back comfortingly. "It's okay, Tani…" she sighed, "I've missed you so much…"

"I _am _ sorry…" Vitani said, looking up again. The magic glow had faded, but they now had their own shine. "…for everything, Thena…I-I know that doesn't count for much…not after all that I've done…"

"Maybe not," Athena said, smiling slightly, "But it's a good place to start." Then Vitani placed her hand over her deck, and the corridor returned to its original state, and the remaining monsters vanished. 

"Surrendering, Vitani?" came a cold voice from the opposite end of the hallway. Out of the darkness came the black knight, Shield at the ready, "Pitiful. I did have higher expectations for you, but it would appear that your usefulness has expired." He gestured stiffly at the golden Sword that lay calmly at her side, "The Sword. Now."

Vitani turned abruptly, pulling herself out of Athena's arms and unsheathing the Sword in one swift movement. Her hands were shaking slightly, but her jaw was set. "For too long I've stood at your side…" she said slowly, directing the blade's tip at her former master, "…watching as you destroyed lives…helping you to do it. But I can't anymore…I won't shrink back into the shadows like I used to and turn away from what my heart tells me is right…no more…" She straightened up, gave Vitani a quick glance and then raised the blade level with her chest. "If you want this back…you'll have to take it from me."

Athena, knowing a split second ahead of time what her adoptive sister was planning, quickly pulled the Hourglass back out of her bag. Here was the moment she had been expecting – a Millennium Showdown between herself, Vitani and Jetsu. The only difference was, she hadn't expected the odds to be two to one in her favor.

For a second it seemed as if the evil lord was unable to speak. Then suddenly he threw back his head and laughed. The malicious cackling filled the deserted corridor, and Vitani felt a tiny drop of sweat dribble down the back of her neck. 

Jetsu finally stopped laughing and straightened up to look down upon the two adoptive siblings, "Oh honestly, Vitani, when I selected you to be my assistant I was under the pretense that you had some amount of intelligence, but I see now that I was quite mistaken." With a snap of his fingers, the Millennium Key and Scale that had been floating directly behind him moved into view, glowing fiercely, "I've already collected three of the Millennium Items, including the Scales of the Queen. Three Items to two would give me the advantage wouldn't it?"

Vitani looked nervous for a second, but Athena cut in quickly. "If you could wield all three at once, yes!" Athena said, twirling the Hourglass, a confident smile spreading across her face, "But seeing as even the all-powerful Jetsu only has two hands, the odds can't be anything but even!"

Jetsu's shield stopped glowing golden and started to emit a luminosity of deep red. The rage once hidden beneath his calm outer mask rose to the surface in an instant, "Unlike you, you despicable little whelp, I possess magic of my own. The Shield has fed off of my influence, and it yearns for powers greater than any other Item! Now watch as I make three items into one!" The other Items circled around Jetsu and the Shield, mighty beams of gold being drawn like magnets to the defensive Item. There was a blinding flash, and both the Scale and the Key dropped like stones, landing on the floor with a resounding crash.

Athena tried her hardest not to show her surprise. She had known that Jetsu was powerful, but never had she dreamed that he had unlocked powers beyond that of a Millennium Item! _His ancestors were sorcerers…I should have known…_she thought bitterly. Then she felt Vitani's presence at her side, and her courage swelled. The odds were definitely against them now, but it didn't matter. Escape was unthinkable, so their only option was to go out fighting. With a twinge of sardonic humor, she thought it seemed a fitting end.

He pulled the Shield up and held it out in front of him, "Now it… begins." With a yell of rage from its master, the Shield let out a burst of wavy red energy towards the two females.

In perfect symmetry, the sisters leapt away from the blast. It hit the corridor wall and blew a hole clear through to the next chamber over. Dust and pieces of stone fell everywhere, pelting the girls without any reaction from either of them. Then, rebounding off opposite walls of the all-too-cramped area, they struck. Vitani let the Sword come down and it struck the Shield without leaving so much as a scratch. She was quickly pushed back as Athena pulled from her bag what looked like a thick scythe on a short stick. 

With the flick of her wrist, the stick it was on was released, stretched to its full length of nearly six feet. Swinging it wide, she leapt at Jetsu from the opposite side Vitani had just attacked.

The evil master quickly pivoted on foot, turning 90 degrees. The scythe blade continued down hard and crashed into the stone floor. Its owner stunned, Jetsu threw a mighty punch that connected with the side of Athena's head and sent her sprawling.

Athena staggered across the floor, knocked off balance by the fact that her blade had lodged itself into the floor. Vitani came at him again, trying to give Athena time to recompose herself. The Greek pulled her father's spear free of the stone and raised it high, ignoring the throbbing pain in the side of her face. She could feel blood trickle into her eye and she shut it instinctively. Fighting with one-sided vision was going to be a definite disadvantage. As Vitani was flung backwards into the wall, she made another strike, this time jumping at his back, but swinging the spear around so that the scythe was on a direct root with Jetsu's neck.

Without even turning around, the man raised his right arm backward into the air and the scythe connected only with the juiced up Millennium Shield. Jetsu then raised his left leg and swirled around, intending to smash her with his pointed black boot.

As soon as she saw the glint of metal (indicating his intended action) she acted accordingly, pulling out the once-again stored away Hourglass and flipped it over. Everything around her froze, and as the sand quickly sifted through the glass, she darted around to the other side of Jetsu. She swung at him again just as the last grains of sand filtered through, bringing things back to normal.

The blade cracked his obsidian-colored armor but did not reach through to his pale skin. The hit overbalanced the warlord and he had to take several awkward steps to regain his footing. 

Vitani took full advantage of her former master's never-before-seen brief moment of weakness, lunging at him with a fierce cry. 

As rapidly as the moment of opportunity had opened, it closed, and Jetsu stepped forward and caught Vitani in mid-leap, holding her tightly by the neck and high in the air, "You should not have betrayed me!" he hissed at her, seething.

Athena's eyes widened as Vitani struggled, one hand still clutching the Sword, the other trying to pry Jetsu's fingers back. "Jetsu…" Athena growled, "Drop her!!" With that, she brought the scythe down swiftly on his arm. 

He cringed in pain as it smashed his forearm and weakened his grip. Jetsu craned his head around to look at the Grecian, "You want her?" he asked through clenched teeth, "THEN HAVE HER!" He lashed out violently with a kick to Athena's stomach, also dislodging her grip on the scythe. Without the pressure on his arm, the man swung Vitani around and threw her at the other woman.

Athena hit the wall first, and the Vitani hit her square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of both of them as they slid to the floor, now weaponless. The sword and the spear were sprawled on the floor a few feet away. Both women groaned slightly, trying to pull themselves apart. Athena spat blood on the floor in front of them, and looked up through bleary eyes as Jetsu approached them.

"This is the end girls! You brought this upon yourselves!" The Shield began to glow once again.

Athena quickly fumbled for her Hourglass, turning it over and then scrambling out from under Vitani's frozen form. She grabbed up her spear and turned towards Jetsu, and made a swipe at him. But she found…that he had gone! Completely vanished from where he should have been frozen! "What the –??" she said, regaining her footing and taking a few steps backwards nervously. After only three steps, her back hit something hard and she knew what it was even before she turned around.

"Surprised?" a quiet voice asked her from behind. Lord Jetsu was standing with his back to the Greek, a full head taller than the girl. With a flick of his arm and a twist of his wrist he had grasped the end of the lance. She had been hovering it high in the air, not realizing it was right next to him. He tugged once, and the weapon was jerked out of her grasp.

The man gave it one disgusted look and turned around to face Athena, who was now slowly backing away from him, "You're so pathetic. You still cling to that weak old man even after his death? Pitiful. Yes, I remember this particular scythe. I think it was one of the two things of his I didn't manage to remove from his possession. This…" He snapped the spear over his plated knee and discarded the pieces behind him, "And that Hourglass."

At this, Athena instinctively glanced back at the Hourglass, which she had left on the floor by Vitani. She made a dash for it just as the sand finished sifting through to the bottom and everything returned to normal. Vitani fell flat on her stomach, no longer having Athena's lap there to support her and looked up quickly, knowing what must have happened. Athena had almost reached her when light exploded from Jetsu's Shield. Like a tidal wave, it passed over Athena and she collapsed on the ground. Seconds later, it was upon Vitani and before she could even cry out it had enveloped her.

"I must say," Jetsu mused aloud to himself, "They put up more of a fight than I imagined they would." He bent down and picked up the Hourglass, than walked slowly back over to the Sword and collected it up as well. One power transfer later, the Hourglass fell back to the ground, now nothing more than a normal bauble. The Sword now glowed red as well. _Now, that leaves the Pharaoh… and the Thief. The Pharaoh will defeat the Thief, and I'll collect both the souls and the Items. Then the King is next… what a fine day this is turning out to be…_


	33. Chapter 33 The Blood of a Pharaoh

Author's Note: Thank you for all your reviews recently! We really feel appreciated, and therefore, we typed this chapter for you! Enjoy!

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Chapter 33

"The Blood of a Pharaoh"

Yami Bakura's DD2 glowed and five of his cards (four of which were the fiends he'd needed) fell out of his graveyard, hitting the floor quietly. Numbly, he drew his useless Dark Nercofear. It was over…again, he would have to bow in defeat to the Pharaoh…humiliated again…was this his lot…? To always fall in the shadow of the King of Egypt…? But why…?! It wasn't fair…he couldn't accept it…he _wouldn't_ accept it!!

"NO!!" he cried, falling to his knees, pounding the stone floor with both fists at once, "So many times I've been so close…" he murmured, almost whimpered, "Why is what I desire always brought so near to me only to vanish before my fingertips before I can touch it…??"

Across the hall, Yami watched, keeping very still. This was certainly not the end to the duel that he had been expecting. The Spirit of the Ring had never been one to show much emotion (aside from anger and arrogance). So what was he doing on the floor? 

Then Yami noticed something that nearly made him lose his composure! The real Bakura in translucent spirit form was standing behind his evil counterpart! Yami felt Yugi's spirit leave their body and start towards his friend, and he held out a hand to stop him. 

A voiceless exchange passed quickly between the two in which Yugi looked to Yami imploringly and the Pharaoh just shook his head. For some reason, for the first time ever, Bakura's spirit had been freed while the thief was still in control of the body. Yami could sense that this was something that would be ruined with interference. He _had _to observe…to figure out what exactly was going on. Yugi seemed to understand, and nodded, turning his gaze back to the opposite side of the corridor.

Bakura was leaning down towards his counterpart, hand outstretched. As soon as his fingers made contact with the Spirit's shoulder, he jolted up, whipping around with a snarl like a hunted animal. "What!!" His eyes widened as he realized who it was standing above him. "Y-you?!" he stuttered, "But how–??"

"You let your guard down, I suppose…" Bakura said, "When you lost the hope of winning the duel, the bars around the cage you keep me in dissolved…it's never happened before…I thought perhaps my body had been destroyed, so I went searching…and found my way out here…"

Yami Bakura scowled, hugging his knees close to his chest. "So why haven't you tried to retake control yet?" he asked curtly.

"Because I wanted to ask you something…" Bakura said, crouching down so that the two of them were at eye-level with each other, "I know that everything you've ever done since the Ring came to me has been focused on one goal – the Millennium Items. I understand that they're powerful, but they're not the only ways to _achieve _power. I was wondering what it was that…well, what I mean to say is – and I know this sounds naïve – why?"

"…Why…?" Yami Bakura echoed, eyebrows raised.

"Why is the Millennium Items' power so _important_ to you?" the British teen persisted, "The whole obsession is rather illogical. I just find it hard to believe that you could hurt me so many times just for power. It doesn't –"

"You know _ nothing_ of pain!!" Yami Bakura spat suddenly, cutting the boy off, "Spend endless nights on the street starving, while others," he shot a death-glare at Yami, "are born into the lap of luxury. Be spat at as you walk the streets because of the illegitimacy of your birth." He stood up quickly, and back-handed the boy hard across the face, now towering in rage, "So I decided to take what was rightfully mine. All the rights of the first-born son are divine, handed down by the gods. And by their guiding hands, I began to steal what should have been mine."

Bakura gingerly rubbed his cheek, "Your always talking about what's rightfully yours," he said, "I don't understand…what do you mean 'first-born son'?"

Yami Bakura's eyes widened for just a split second, then spoke again, "I mean, that my father was the same contemptible bastard that spawned our dear Yami here." He jerked a finger over at Yami Yugi, now smiling slightly.

Both boys in spirit form turned at once to stare at Yami, who was looking bewildered. "Is this true, Yami?" Yugi asked quietly.

"I…I…don't know…" Yami stammered, "I remember so little of my past…but I think I would know something like that…"

"How?" the Spirit of the Ring asked spitefully, "My dear younger brother, do try to use your head for once in your goddamn life! I was born three months before your embryo even existed. My mother died giving me birth! Do you really believe that our father would have ever mentioned this matter to anyone, especially you?"

Yami frowned, and turned his eyes to the floor. The Spirit was right; such a shameful matter certainly would've been kept quiet from everyone, including him. And despite how much he didn't trust Yami Bakura, something in his gut told him that this new revelation was pure fact. "So the right to rule was truly yours…" he said, "But answer me this: if your mother died in childbirth, how is it that you came to know of your parentage? Wouldn't our father have considered you a threat and disposed of you during infancy?

"I've pondered that myself…" the spirit responded quietly, "But he must have let me live out of love for my mother. I was sent to live with an elderly couple, who maintained a thirteen year silence through the pay of the throne. When I became too curious, they told me what I know now." He shuffled his feet slightly, and a single tear fell from his closed eye to the floor, "And the next day the Pharaoh had them killed."

Yami's eyes widened. A blurry image of his father had entered his mind a few moments ago, and a horrible feeling began churning in his stomach. Of what he was beginning to remember of Pharaoh Yami Sr., he had always been cold and distant. And now, with this new bit of history revealed, his worst fear was confirmed. Involuntarily, he found himself crossing the room towards his half-brother. Yugi followed, hurrying over to stand beside the true Bakura. Both boys looked like they were straining to hold back tears. Yami stopped in front of the Spirit of the Ring, "And…once you were truly alone…? Did this mark the start of your quest for revenge…?"

"It was indeed the start. It began with small things like food and trinkets form the market place, but it wasn't enough. Things grew as the thrill of danger continued to lure me to greater heights. I even got my revenge on the old man by robbing his personal treasury, but still I continued. I wanted to hurt him and his 'family' that I had been excluded from as much as I could." 

"After having stolen this Ring at seventeen, which already possessed magic of its own, I broke into the palace…" A sadistic smile had crossed the Spirit's face, "It took less than an hour to kill the jackass. When the guards found him in the morning, I was long gone. I believe that will explain why you were able to rule the country at such a young age, brother."

Yami set his jaw. "I remember the day my father was murdered…" he said, "Not even my mother could bring herself to grieve for him…I often look back on it, and I think he abused her. I cannot say I bear you any grudge for that…he was not one who would be missed…" He paused for a moment, reflecting, and then said, "It was not until years later that the two of us actually faced off…why did you choose to wait before confronting me…?"

"It would have been easy to kill you, but by then the Queen would have been able to order the guards to capture, than behead me. When you had full control of your servants after several years of ruling, I knew that you would have them back down. It was our fight, not theirs. Back then, you didn't believe me when I told you we were related and that it was my right to rule Egypt." Yami Bakura straightened up and cracked his neck back and forth, "You know the rest."

"I do," Yami nodded, hanging his head, "It was that night that I sealed your soul within the Millennium Ring." From the shadow cast over his face, the faintest trace of a tear sparkled in the corner of one eye, and his voice was shaking slightly when he spoke again, "If I…if I had known the whole story…"

"It would have made you soft and I would have killed you." He adjusted his Duel Disk on his arm.

Yami looked like he wanted to protest, but thought better of it. "I suppose…" he said.

"Excuse me…?" Bakura spoke up, "But…what now…?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Yami Bakura asked impatiently, "History has repeated itself, only this time in the form of a duel. I've lost and the Pharaoh will banish me once more. Only this time, since you've gained strength, Bakura, I won't be coming back. It's what you've always wanted, isn't it?" He began to place one hand over his deck, ready to signal his defeat.

But the white-haired teen grabbed his counterpart by the wrist quickly, "No!" he said, and the others all gaped at him.

"What are you talking about, boy?!" Yami Bakura demanded.

"I won't deny that for the past few years I've wanted nothing more than to be rid of you for good," Bakura said, "But now I'm not so sure…I've grown so used to you I think I'd feel…empty if you were gone. I – I know we've never really gotten along, but you have protected me from time to time…And there must've been a good reason why the Millennium Ring chose to bring itself to me, don't you think…?"

"What are you saying??" the dark Spirit asked, eyeing the boy uneasily.

"I'm saying…or trying to say…that I…" he swallowed hard, "I don't want you to leave…"

"I'm afraid that that isn't a choice I can make, although…" he paused and took a deep breath, his dark eyes fixed upon his counterpart, "I thank you for your sentiment." He finished placing his hand over his deck, and all the cards from the duel vanished back into their respective decks. The Spirit turned around and looked at the ancient King of Egypt, "Well? What'll it be, Pharaoh?"

Yami gave the spirit a small smile. "If I am to banish anyone today, it will not be you," he said.

Yami Bakura returned the smile briefly and then the chain of mini-items around his neck began to glow and his face contorted in pain. In a blinding flash and a cry of agony, Yami Bakura was gone and the true Bakura was back in his body, hands on his chest, verifying that he was solid again. "What happened?" he asked, slightly panicked, "Where'd the spirit go? Why am I back in my body? I –"

But before he could finish his next sentence, the pupils of his eyes disappeared and he fell forward onto the floor. Yami stepped back in surprise, and then his gaze fell on the figure emerging from the shadows behind where Bakura had been standing.

Jetsu walked calmly out into the light, ignoring Yami and his counterpart for the moment, and pointed two fingers at the boy's body. Both of the Millennium Items that he had been carrying revealed themselves and began to float next to the body. When he pointed his fingers up, the Items drifted carelessly towards him. Both the Shield and the Sword began to glow red again. Seconds later, both the Items crashed to the floor, now useless. The Millennium Eye began to roll across the ground, and out of sight.

"Now that we have that matter out of the way… I offer you my congratulations Pharaoh, for successfully completing every part of my plan that I needed you to. It was my desire and intention all along, after all, to have you be the victor of the tournament… and the final Spirit to be claimed."

"Spirit to be…?" Yami echoed, and then his purple eyes flared with anger, "Jetsu, what have you done to the others?!" He felt Yugi rejoin him in their body and was thankful. The boy was safer within the depths of their minds.

The man chuckled softly, "Smart move, my liege. The boy would have made an excellent addition to my ever growing collection of souls. Yes, your friends have helped to feed my power nicely…"

"Jetsu…" Yami growled, "It's time we ended this game of yours."

"We will end the game when I see fit, Pharaoh. And I intend to win on my terms." He did an about-face, his back now facing Yami. With a wave of his Sword a bright blast of golden light illuminated the corridor, the thin strip of energy hovering high near the ceiling, "Follow the light, little Yami. You'll meet your end soon enough." With that Jetsu faded away, his magic taking him back up to high chamber to wait.

Yami gazed up at the path of pure energy. _I suppose we have no choice but to do things his way… _he thought solemnly.

Yugi's voice filled his head, _We have to, or we'll never figure out how to save the others. I just hope they're not hurt._

Yami thought that this was wishful thinking, but he didn't want to upset Yugi any sooner than need be so he was silent, and began following the golden trail into the maze of corridors once more.


	34. Chapter 34 The Destruction Path of Jetsu...

Author's Note: This is a really serious chapter, but we couldn't think of a serious title, so we give you this, which looks like it could've been serious when it was in Japanese, but because of its direct translation, it sounds silly. Please don't think that it really has any influence over the mood of chapter. Also, speaking of titles, to clear up a bit of confusion about #33, "Pharaoh's Blood" was used in the family sense. You know, related by blood?? Both Yami Yugi & Yami Bakura have the blood of the Pharaoh in the veins. So that's what that means. Just so you know. Now on to the chapter.

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Chapter 34

"The Destruction Path of Jetsu: Calm Down, Yami!"

Yami had been walking for several minutes, now, the shining light taking him through several twists and turns, but no matter where he went one thing seemed the same…

_'Yugi, is it just me, or does it seem unnaturally quiet in here?'_

_ 'It does…are we the only ones left?'_

_ 'I shudder to think it…'_

It was about this time that they came upon the first chamber. Yami stopped in his tracks at the sight before him. On the stone floor, sprawled out, unconscious and bleeding, were Joey and Kaiba. Crying out their names, even though he knew they couldn't hear him, Yami rushed to them. 

_ 'What happened to them?' _he heard Yugi ask.

_'Jetsu…' _ Yami answered, as he checked the pulse of each teen, _'They're still alive, but their souls have been removed from their bodies. And they've each lost a lot of blood…'_

_ 'What are we gonna do??'_

_ 'I'm not sure…' _ Yami thought, _'We can't risk leaving them here and going for help…Jetsu would surely destroy their souls before we could ever get back. I'm afraid we'll just have to leave them here. Until this is over, there's nothing we can do for them…'_

_ 'But…but' _Yugi protested.

_'That's just the way it has to be,' _Yami told him firmly.

**_'They don't look well, do they?'_**

"Show yourself, Jetsu!" Yami called out angrily, his heart pounding.

**_'Yes, they were the first to go, so their hearts will be the first to stop beating… I give them less than three more hours to live. Better hurry, Pharaoh. I'm still waiting…'_**

Yami didn't waste anymore time. He leapt up and bolted out of the room. There wasn't a minute to lose! If all the others were in this condition as well, the situation had just escalated more than he'd ever imagined it could. 

With every step he took, it seemed as though he were getting farther away from his goal.

_'How far does this path go?' _Yugi's voice puzzled inside Yami's head.

Before Yami had answered, they had come upon the next chamber. This one held Mai and another boy Yami didn't recognize. Mai seemed to be in worse condition that the boy.

**_'Such a waste of beauty, that one…And a bit too much spunk for my liking…'_**

****Yami didn't even bother answering Jetsu, as he hurried on his way. He felt awful, leaving them behind, but there was nothing else he could do. He was being forced to play things out by the madman's rules.

Down another corridor… up a flight of stairs… twisting around another bend. It didn't seem to have a clear purpose as to why he had to take this specific route to wherever Jetsu wanted him to go.

The victim in the next chamber jolted Yami out of his control of the body and Yugi took over not even realizing that he'd wanted to. "Tsuki!" the boy cried, rushing to her side. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her up gently, hugging her close to his chest. Shakily, he traced his fingers down the lines on her face that marked where tears had dried. "Tsuki…" he whispered, nuzzling her face with his, "How could he…?"

Behind Yugi, now in spirit form, Yami was shaking with fury. If Tsuki was gone, that meant that Dedi had gone first. "Yugi…" he said, trying his hardest to contain himself, "We…we have to keep going…"

**_'My my, what a heart-breaking scene…'_**

****"JETSU!!!!!" Yami roared at the ceiling, "By the gods, I swear when I find you I will show no mercy!!"

**_'Do the poor wittle babies miss their fwends? The only ones who'd ever weally liked them … or ever will? HA HA HA HA!'_**

Yami's fists were shaking and angry, humiliated tears were stinging his eyes. "_Don't…mock…me…_" he seethed.

**_'Why not? I don't see you charging up here to save your friends or avenge the fall of your bitch. I don't honestly see how anyone but a bitch could like you, though.'_**

"Yugi!" Yami thundered, "Put her down! We're moving on!"

"But I –" Yugi objected.

"Now!" Yami said, with fire in his eyes.

A little frightened, Yugi allowed Yami to take control of the body once more, and they were off again. 

It seemed to take much less time to make it to the next chamber. Crumpled under one of the torches was another body, that of…

_'Hey, that's the tournament coordinator… Vitani, wasn't it? Why is she there? Wasn't she working with Jetsu?'_ Yugi's timid voice entered his counterpart's head meekly, as the boy was still frightened by the never-before-seen fit of rage that Yami was in.

_'What does it matter?' _Yami replied, slowing his pace a bit, to gaze uncaringly at Vitani's soulless form.

_'Why would she be like that?' _Yugi wondered in a small voice.

**_'Because she resisted. And in the end, like all of the others, she was punished.'_**

"Resisted…?" Yami echoed, "You mean she turned on you? Why?"

**_"Ha ha ha… Did Athena tell you nothing, Pharaoh? She and Vitani go way back, adoptive sisters, I believe. Your stupidity is astounding. I would have thought that you would have tried to do at least some research on your opponents, but then again if you did, then you wouldn't be here now. You'd be back hiding in _** **_Japan while I gathered even more power…"_**

Before he could react, and before either him or Yugi realized that the voice was no longer in their mind, there was a lightning fast motion and a sharp pain in the back of the King's head…

* * *

The low rumbling above them told the prisoners of the Soul Dungeon that their ranks were growing yet again, and they all glanced upwards. "Who could that be?" Mai asked.

"I'm not sure who's left," Vitani said. She and Athena had joined the group not long ago, and it had taken Athena a while to convince the others that Vitani had indeed switched sides.

Now Athena was peering up at the blackness and caught a glimpse of white hair on the figures that fell. "It's Bakura and his Spirit!" she said, pointing up at them. 

"Yeah, you're right!" Joey said. He made to stand up and catch one of them and Athena joined him. Since they couldn't tell which one was which at the speed the figures were falling, they caught both young men at the same time. Athena found the real Bakura in her arms and hugged him close to her. Joey made a disgusted face at the Spirit and dropped him on the ground.

The force of his short fall woke the Spirit up and he cursed loudly, rubbing his head. "Where the hell are we?" he asked, glancing around.

"Jetsu's prison," Mai said, "I must say, I'm surprised to see you here."

Athena sat down slowly, keeping the unconscious Bakura in her lap. "Only Yugi and the Pharaoh are left now," she said.

"That's not true," Joey said, "Dedi and Tsuki haven't shown up yet."

"No, they are gone as well," Shadi said and everyone turned towards where he was still sitting in his meditative position.

"What do you mean?" Vitani asked.

"I sense their souls a while ago," Shadi said, "Jetsu is holding them in a separate prison. He plans to use them as leverage against the Pharaoh and his boy."

"Bastard…" Athena muttered. Then Bakura stirred and her attention was immediately switched to him. His eyes opened and met hers. She smiled, "Are you alright?"

Bakura nodded and then, realizing how she was holding him, blushed. "I'm fine," he said, sitting up and crawling out of her lap, "I suppose this is where Jetsu keeps his souls…?"

Athena nodded and then leaned closer to him, "Are you sure you're alright? What happened?"

Bakura leaned away from her, cheeks burning, "I'm perfectly fine – I promise," he told her, "As for what happened…well…" he glanced over at his Spirit hesitantly.

"Go ahead and tell them," Yami Bakura said, stretching out on the floor, hands behind his head, "It's not like we've got anything else to do."

* * *

Yami Yugi was thrown forward several feet, falling hard on the cold stone floor.

_'Yami, it's Athena!' _Yugi had separated from his Spirit once more, and was now at the Pharaoh's side.

Athena shook her head, "**_Partially correct, but mostly deluded statement, I'm afraid," _**she said, or rather Jetsu said through her. It was nothing like when Marik had taken control of others. There was no duel voice, only Jetsu's, and it was very frightening coming from Athena's mouth.

Jetsu-Athena (JA) took several steps forward, "**_She went down with her idiot of a sibling, but this body is trained in the martial arts, so it will do nicely for a warm up._**" JA rushed ahead, giving Yugi a sharp elbow to the gut and knocking him away, then reaching down and grabbing Yami by the collar of his shirt. 

Once the body of Athena had lifted Yami up so that they were eye level, the unnatural voice spoke again, "**_Are you always this off your guard, Pharaoh? You don't stand a chance against me; I know that fighting isn't your forte!_**" With that JA dropped him and quickly gave him a powerful knee to the jaw.

Yami's head snapped back and he fell to the ground once more. He sat up, quickly, spitting blood and rubbing his jaw. The young man slowly stood up once more, now about two yards away from his opponent. Yami felt the rage and contempt that he held for Jetsu coursing through his veins. He couldn't hurt Athena, but there were other ways to defeat an opponent, "Yugi! Integrate into me. This one could get rough…"

Yugi nodded and vanished into their mind once more. Yami took a deep breath and outstretched his hand towards JA. The girl's unnaturally deep voice echoed through the chamber, **_"What are you going to do, Pharaoh? You can't strike at me without damaging the body of your friend. And this body isn't in perfect shape to begin with…" _**JA brought a hand up to her head and pushed her sweat-thickened bangs away from the side of her face, revealing the still-bleeding wound Jetsu had dealt her during their Millennium battle. 

Yami was taken aback slightly, but concealed it. "I don't need to touch her in order to free her from your control, Jetsu!" he said, as the Millennium Puzzle began to glow brightly and the symbol of the Egyptian Eye appeared on his forehead, bright red. With a cry of rage, Yami directed his mind-banishment at the girl and a shock wave hit her in the chest. A storm of dust rose up around her and covered her from view. 

Yami was breathing hard, palm still stretched towards her, watching the dust settle. When it finally did, he was shocked. JA was still standing, eyes still clouded over, and expression still blank. "W-what?!" Yami gasped, "It had no effect…?"

**_"You fool," _**JA said, **_"Your mind is too clouded to conduct that technique properly…which was my intention to begin with, if you couldn't tell that by now…"_**

****Of course! How could he have been so stupid? Once again, he had played right into Jetsu's hands… and it was Yugi's body that was suffering for his idiocy. The eye symbol that had begun to vanish on the Pharaoh's forehead began to glow a deeper shade of red and Yami clenched his teeth tightly together.

_'Yami!! No! Please!' _Yugi's voice sounded in his mind, _'This is just what Jetsu wants! I swear I don't blame you for any of this! You have every right to be angry, but you can't let it get the better of you!! You need to relax and concentrate! That's the only way to win this!'_

Yami took a deep breath and sighed it out slowly. _'You're right, Yugi. It's difficult… but I'll try.'_ The Spirit of the Puzzle raised his hand again but before he could power up another blast, JA leapt into the air and landed inches in front of Yami and began a barrage of punches that floored the mighty ruler once more.

JA folded her arms impatiently,**_ "Don't think it will be so simple, my king. I won't give you two free shots in a row. But if you have the strength, please: stand up and try again. This is becoming rather boring, after all."_**

****Yami began picking himself up off the ground, wondering if this was Athena's strength or Jetsu's that he was feeling. He spat more blood on the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His head was pounding and it was making it hard to concentrate on much of anything. From somewhere deep inside him, he could feel Yugi's presence and it was strengthening. He raised his hand again, this time, positioning himself in a more defensive stance. If he was going to be able to recharge the blast, he'd need a few seconds at least.

JA lowered her arms to her sides again, and closed her milky white eyes, **_"Go ahead, Pharaoh. But I doubt someone like you could ever gather the strength to force me from this mind."_**

Yami felt his blood boiling and before Yugi could try to calm him again, he had launched the attack, half-cocked, and once again the Egyptian Eye burned red on his forehead. The dust settled for a second time and JA was still standing exactly where she'd been before.

**_ "Pathetic…" _**she spat.

_'Yami! This isn't working! You've gotta get a hold of yourself, or we'll never get out of here alive!' _Yugi pleaded.

JA raised her right hand up and pointed it towards Yami, **_"Let me show you a real blast!"_** Her eyes turned red and the unnatural voice cried out in rage. A shockwave similar to Yami's blasted right out of her hand, kicking up dust as it went.

Yami was flung backwards into the far wall, slamming against the stone and sliding down to the floor. A sharp pain shot through the back of his head, and hit put a hand up to it. When he pulled it away again, his hand was tinted with blood. He closed his eyes and hung his head. _'Yugi…if I continue like this it will kill you…I'm sorry…I just don't see how we can get out of this…Jetsu's played me for a fool…and I've let him…'_

"That's not true!"Yugi exclaimed, and Yami felt arms around him. He looked up. The boy had left the safety of their mind once again and was hugging his counterpart. "You've got to have a little faith! Think about what we're fighting for! All our friends are counting on us! Think about Athena, Yami! She needs you now! If we can't free her body from Jetsu's control, we'll never be able to end this! So please, try just one more time…"

Yami sighed and closed his eyes. Once more. Just one more try. He was the ruler of the most powerful country of its time. He was the controller of the Millennium Puzzle. "Alright, Yugi. Once more." He struggled to stand once more, and clutched his chest as a sharp jolt of pain coursed through him. That last attack had had real power behind it. Was it Jetsu's or Athena's? He might very well find out the hard way later.

JA continued to slowly walk towards the panting ruler, ignoring the littler version of the Pharaoh that was helping him up, **_"Well? Shall I end this game of ours now? Or are you going to try something new? Something that might work, perhaps?"_**

Yami was actually thankful for the pounding in his head, for it blocked out all noise around him now. He closed his eyes, and straightened up, out of Yugi's grasp. He had to do this on his own, standing tall. He couldn't always depend on another to lift him up. This preliminary match had become a true test of his abilities and he intended to pass it. The Millennium Puzzle glowed for a third time, and once again, the Egyptian Eye glowed on his forehead, but this time it was brilliant gold instead of red. 

His mind was clear, his focus cloudless. He raised his right hand. Athena's face was visible before him, but it wasn't her physical body he was looking at. Above her, in a sort of haze, her spirit seemed to be pleading with him. He would set her body free…he had to. This time, when he let loose his energy, he did not cry out. His jaw was clenched and his expression was stony as his own shockwave flew from his palm.

**_"Not this again…" _**JA said. 

The shockwave hit, and JA's hair and clothes swirled around her. Yami let his arm drop to his side and then silence filled the chamber. It dragged on for what seemed like forever.

Then Athena's eyes closed and she fell forward onto the floor, soulless once again.

* * *

Up in the high chamber of the Tournament Pyramid, Jetsu's eyes flew open. _'What the-? I'm back in my own body…'_ He clasped his fists tightly, one squeezing the hilt of the Millennium Sword. The Pharaoh was growing stronger. Standing up, the evil master went to collect his dueling items. He may have to end this game before it got too out of control. While he still had some influence over the situation. While he still had time… 

_'Perhaps a new deck is required. Yes, one that will put the Pharaoh in his place…'_

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the Shadow Realm that only Jetsu controlled, Dedi and Tsuki were huddled together in a tiny cell with no windows. Tsuki was crying silently into the folds of Dedi's dress, while the older woman stroked her hair gently. "Please try to cheer up," she said softly, "Being sad isn't going to help anything, you know."

"Yeah…" Tsuki whimpered, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, "But I just keep thinking about Yugi…how is he going to beat Jetsu? I don't want him to get hurt…"

At this, Dedi put her arms around the girl once more, gently rocking her back and forth. "I know, I know," she said, "But we have to be strong for him, okay?"

"What do you mean?" Tsuki asked.

"I…I…" Dedi hesitated, "I just want you to promise me that whatever happens, you'll be brave. For Yugi and Yami, alright?"

"Okay," Tsuki nodded, then her lower lip quivered and she buried her face into Dedi's chest again.

The Queen of Egypt leaned back against the wall of the room, rubbing Tsuki's back consolingly. _'Yami…' _she thought, _'Please pull us out of this…find the strength I know you have within you and let us be together again…we have children to worry about now…' _ Then she bowed her head and kissed Tsuki's shining ebony hair.


	35. Chapter 35 The Final Duel: End Game

Chapter 35

"The Final Duel, Part One: End Game"

The golden trail stopped at the end of a winding passage in front of enormous double-door made of stone. Yami's footsteps slowed as he approached. The fight with Athena had allowed him to get a hold of himself once again, and he was feeling a bit more together now. He stared at the doors, which were covered in hieroglyphics…his knowledge of the ancient language was slowly returning, and he bemusedly began a loose translation…

_The Grecians move closer everyday… the defenses will not hold much longer. I wish my grandfather were here. They say King Yami was the most powerful Pharaoh to live… not like me. I know not what to do now, so I pray to the gods for guidance. High Priest Jetsu Maeda has suggested transferring the powers of the Pharaoh into new Items. If only I knew how to access the power of the Items! If only I knew what to do…_

Yami continued to read, eyes open in surprise. The next part he could understand and though these symbols looked like the others, there was a certain sharper, darker quality about them: 

_These were the last writings of the final Pharaoh to hold true power in __ Egypt. He was but 17 when he gave the order to transfer all the magic left into the new Items: Shield, Sword, Earrings, Mirror, Statue, Staff, and the Hourglass. My ancestor was only able to obtain the Shield, even after killing the other priests. The Shield protected him from the Greeks long enough to go into hiding. Beyond these doors is the sanctuary of the last member of the Maeda family. Only those enemies brave or foolish enough enter here. Proceed with caution or flee in haste..._

Yami frowned. He was certainly not going to flee, but the first section of the writing intrigued him and he felt it deserved another moment of thought. _Grandson…? But that would've meant that Dedi and I had had a child…and neither of us remember that…Why would such an important memory be hidden from both of us…? _But he had no more time to ponder this. Their friends were in grave danger and the only way to save them lay beyond those doors. 

He reached out a hand and touched the inscription reading _"Proceed with caution" _and all the hieroglyphs glowed bright red on contact. The light enfolded him and he squinted, watching the doors swing slowly open, groaning against their own weight.

_This is it… _came Yugi's voice in his head.

_I know._

Yami stood as tall as he could make himself, ignoring the pain that still throbbed at the back of his head, and entered the chamber.

"So you decided to come… I can't say I'm surprised. Everything else you've done ever since you came to this country has been stupid." Jetsu was standing on the far end of the spacious chamber, his Shield hooked onto his right arm as usual. Held loosely in his right had was the Millennium Sword and on his left arm was hooked a Duel Disk 2, black in color and glowing a brilliant green instead of the typical yellow, "Leading your friends into my trap, alienating your host in a rushed episode of lost lust with the Queen in the Shadow Realm, abandoning the soulless bodies of your comrades for a ill-fated attempt at revenge upon me…"

"This ends here and now, Maeda!" Yami said, pointing at his foe, "And you can try your mind tricks all you want, but I've learned my lesson. I won't make the same mistake again."

"That'd be a first," the knight hissed at his enemy, "I may not show it as openly as you, Yami, but I too have been waiting a long time for this day. Indeed our game will end now and you with it! Let's duel!"

He raised the Sword high above him and a green glow stretched to the corners of the room. Yami raised a hand to shield his face and then felt his whole body begin to tingle. Glancing down at himself, he gasped as he watched a ring of black magic surround him. Starting at the ground and moving up, it transformed him. His original outfit dissolved and in its place the garb he had worn 500 years ago solidified around him. He felt the cool metal of his headband touch his forehead and knew the ensemble was complete. 

He lifted his head to face his opponent and found that Jetsu had undergone a change as well. The armor that once shrouded his being had faded away and had been replaced by the white robes of an Egyptian high priest. Red lining made its way around the entire negligee and there was a bandage visible on his right forearm, nearly concealed by the two Millennium Items. And for the first time ever, his mask was gone and his face was visible, shaded lightly by a draping hood. His eyes were piercing green, and a scar ran along the right one. His complexion was unlike that of all other Egyptian's Yami had encountered (besides himself), and was pale; probably from spending all his days hidden beneath his armor. 

"What is the meaning of this…?" Yami asked, stepping nearer to the area painted on the floor.

"I thought that the mightiest of Pharaohs would want to die looking at least somewhat respectable." Jetsu's Duel Disk began counting up life points, but did not stop at 4000 as usual.

"W-what?" Yami said, glancing down at his own Duel Disk and watching it spin up in numbers until it stopped at 8000. "8000??" he said, "A new rule it seems…fitting, seeing as it increases with every tournament I've entered…but why not use this new system from the beginning? Is this a special honor, reserved for only the match between you and I?"

"Indeed. With more life points, not only does it make for a more interesting match, but I'll have the pleasure of causing you as much pain as possible." He pulled out all six cards at once from his hand (Winged Sage Falcos, Royal Oppression, Time Seal, Pyro Clock of Destiny, Delinquent Duo, Mysterious Guard) "Time to die, Pharaoh!" 

"We'll see who's left standing at the end of this," Yami said, "So don't start building my tomb yet." He drew five cards of his own and looked down at them (Swords of Revealing Light, Kuriboh, Big Shield Gardna, Gamma the Magnet Warrior, De-Fusion, Shift). 

"My family has always had one step ahead of yours, Yami, and your tomb has already been built! Through three generations you and yours were never even able to see it…" he selected a card form his hand and placed it on the field, "So I'll go first, starting with this: the Delinquent Duo magic card!" Two bratty little demons (one red and one blue) each labeled with a '1' and a '2' on their foreheads. Together they jumped on Yami and began grabbing at the cards in his hand.

"What the–?!" he cried as he tried to shake the crazy imps off of him, "What are they doing??"

Jetsu let out a short laugh, "In exchange for 1000 of my life points, demon number '1' will steal one card from your hand," The red demon snatched the 'Kuriboh' from Yami Yugi's hand and pushed it into the graveyard. With a wave the little devil disappeared into thin air. Jetsu's life points decreased down to 7500, but the Millennium Shield began to glow again, keeping its master from being punished.

"Demon '2' is kinder, and will allow you to select the card you wish to destroy" Jetsu finished as his life points dropped to 7000.

The blue demon climbed down off of Yami and stood in front of him, holding out a hand expectantly. Yami glared at him for a moment, then handed him his 'Shift' trap card. It took the card, patted the ruler on the hand lightly with a smile as wide as could be, then pushed the card into the card graveyard and disappeared as well.

Yami scowled, "I'm sure there's more…right, Jetsu?"

"But of course. Now I place three cards face-down (Pyro Clock of Destiny, Royal Oppression, Time Seal) and one monster in defense mode (Mysterious Guard (800/1200))."

"My turn," Yami picked up the next card off of his deck (De-Spell) _That's not going to help now…_ "I play my Big Shield Gardna (100/2600) in defense mode and one card face-down (Spellbinding Circle). That end's my turn."

"Well then, why don't I start the action? Jetsu selected his next card carefully (Dark Spirit of the Silent), "I place one more card face-down (Dark Spirit of the Silent) and switch my Mysterious Guard into attack mode!" His blue-hooded figure revealed itself quickly. It was holding a long staff up high and slammed it down hard on the ground. Jetsu smiled, "And that activates its special effect, sending one of my opponent's monsters from the field back to the top of their deck!"

Yami drew in a breath slowly, watching as his monster card was placed by the Duel Disk back onto the top of his desk. As he exhaled he breathed out the twinge of his old frustration that had returned. This duel was far from over, especially with the new life point rules Maeda had instituted.

Jetsu Maeda clicked another button on his duel disk, "Now I activate my trap card: Time Seal!" Mysterious Guard pulled one of the scrolls out from his belt and threw it in the air. Before the flimsy paper could land, the creature had thrust its staff forward and froze the bit of parchment in midair. The symbols written on the document began to burn a vivid blue color and the same symbols appeared on top of Yami's deck.

Folding his arms across his chest, Jetsu gave an evil grin to the Pharaoh, "I trust this needs no explanation?"

"No," Yami said. The Time Seal card was commonly used – it forced him to skip his next draw phase. "Now finish your turn. I'll still destroy you, Maeda, even if it takes one or two more turns than it should."

"I doubt that," the priest's expression turned quickly to a frown, "But before I continue I want to know how it is that you discovered that name."

Yami set his jaw indignantly, "Do you take me for a fool? I may have forgotten a lot about my past, but I can still read the writings of my native language."

"What a surprise. Then, since you know **_so_** much about your past, do you remember a certain high priest of yours? One Basu Maeda?" Jetsu's green eyes were both focused on the Pharaoh, genuinely curious. 

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle froze up for a second, feeling an icy sweat droplet dribble down his neck, "No… why?" the ruler responded slowly, dreading the answer.

"You have much to learn, Pharaoh. There is a lot more history between us and our families than you think, as you will find out before this duel ends." He picked out another card from his hand and placed it on the field, "Now I summon the Winged Sage Falcos (1700/1200) in attack mode!" There was a rush of wind and feathers as a white-robed half-falcon half-man appeared on the field. His wings beat restlessly at he touched down and he folded his long arms across his chest.

Jetsu raised his hand and pointed across the room at his defenseless opponent, "Mysterious Guard, attack now!" With a leap and a thrust of his staff, magical energies had thrown Yami backwards several feet. The mighty king land hard on his buttocks, swearing loudly. 

He got up gingerly, rubbing his backside. This body was taking far too much punishment… Yami glanced down at his Duel Disk 2 as the score changed, dropping his life points: Yami: 7200 – Jetsu: 7000.

"Winged Sage Falcos, attack him again!" Just as the wings of Jetsu's second monster began to flap, the Pharaoh of Egypt pressed a button on his duel disk, causing it to shine brightly for a second.

"Not so fast, Maeda! I'm activating my trap card: SpellBinding Circle!" the purple trap card flipped face-up and sealed its magical ring around the stronger monster, "My trap card will stop your monster in its tracks!"

"Then make your move if you can, Pharaoh," Jetsu told him, waving his hand, very unaffected. 

Yugi's worried thought entered into Yami's mind, nearly mirroring Yami's own line of thinking, _'Why doesn't he mind that we just trapped his strongest monster? He must have something planned!'_

_'I'm aware of that Yugi, but the only way we're going to win this duel is by facing the challenges that Jetsu sets against us.' _Yami looked down at his deck and saw that the symbol of the Time Seal still burned upon his top card. He sighed and selected another card from his hand, "I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1500/1800) in attack mode!" The pink and silver magnet warrior appeared suddenly from its yellowish card, clicking and whirring softly to itself.

"I will defeat you Jetsu, no matter how much of a handicap advantage you give yourself! Go Gamma, attack his Mysterious Guard!" The monster rushed forward, but the Mysterious Guard pulled out another scroll as Jetsu pressed down a button on his duel disk.

"Another mistake! My trap, Dark Spirit of the Silent, will turn the tables on this bout!" The scrolls symbols began to burn purple, and a flaming white-and-reddish ghost came soaring out of the parchment and crashed into Gamma the Magnet Warrior. Immediately, it changed directions and rushed the Winged Sage Falcos, whom was struggling against his bindings. 

Gamma thrust its sword forward, and it was caught in the beak of the larger creature, which snapped the weapon in two. Yami's monster exploded with a violent shockwave, which powerful sent gusts of wind back at the leader of Ancient Egypt. Yami: 7000 – Jetsu: 7000.

Jetsu chuckled lightly, "How very ironic that you are helping me to win this duel, just as your ancestors helped my family rise to power. Yes, your father was a bigger fool than even Basu imagined he would be."

As if a small jolt of electricity shot through Yami's brain, a small passage in the maze of his memories was illuminated and the image of a cloaked figure much like Jetsu entered his mind. It was blurred, but Yami was certain that he could see his father in the picture as well. Both figures' faces were overshadowed, and Yami realized that his mind (reacting to his childhood distaste for both men) had blotted out their faces from his memory. He said nothing, but his expression must have reflected his recognition.

"So you do remember? I was told by that idiot Shadi that I was too much like my ancestors for my own good. Yes, that night was certainly different, to say the least, but perhaps I should show you what I mean!" He raised the Sword high in the air and it began to glow. The room around them vanished swiftly as Yami watched in wonder. The next thing the Pharaoh new, he was floating high in the air, watching below as past events unfolded beneath him.

"Are we…?" he asked slowly.

_'Yes.' Jetsu's voice seemed to emit from every direction around him and the high priest did not move his mouth. _

_'I'm certain that Shadi had sensed an imbalance in the Millennium Magic even before the construction of the new pyramid had begun, but as it is a different sort of Millennium Magic, even you must have noticed that. Shadi always has had the wait-and-see attitude, which meant that by the time he took action it was far too late. While he waited, he buried himself in the ancient scriptures, searching for a meaning to the bewildering circumstances.' _

_ 'I believe it was about at the time of the pyramid's completion that he uncovered what he had sought – records of a second set of Millennium Items! The writings had been hidden deep within the little-known tomb of King Yami's grandson. They told of a young man, losing power rapidly, and at the urging of his Chief Priest, Jetsu Maeda, had sealed the last bit of Egypt's old magic into the new items. Shadi soon discovered the chamber where the new items should've been kept, but there was nothing but empty stone molds – not one Item remained. The fool never even realized that the Items had never even made it to their resting place, those 4800 years ago.'_

_ 'So he retreated into the trail of scripture writings that I had left him, delving deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the two generations of rulers that succeeded the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. And so, when I released the seal of the Millennium Magic above my creation, Shadi took it upon himself to attempt to nip my plan in the bud. He was too late…:_

_ Shadi's thoughts were amplified, probably by the magic of his Millennium Key, as he was wearing it around his neck as usual. _ 'With the protection of my Millennium Key, I may be able to uncover how far the Item holder here has gone, and stop him now. The Pharaoh need not trouble himself again, not so soon after Battle City…' _Shadi mused to himself, as he walked invisibly past the many workers and guards that tromped the corridors of this wretched fake pyramid._

'Their minds are weak; none of them can be the one I seek. None of these are worthy to hold any of the Millennium Items.' 

_The Millennium signal led him quickly to the top most story of the pyramid. As he drew nearer, he could hear the sound of something being struck repeatedly against stone and soon a young woman came within his line of sight. She was sitting on top of a ladder, carving hieroglyphics into large double doors with a hammer and chisel. Shadi recognized them instantly as an excerpt from the long-lost scrolls. He made to move past her and enter through the partially-open doors._

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, sir," _ the woman said suddenly, making Shadi freeze in his tracks_, "Master Jetsu does not like to be disturbed."

_Shadi glanced up quickly at the woman and his eyes widened as he saw what had to be the Millennium Sword in a hilt attached to her belt. _"You…you can see me…?" _he gaped._

"Of course I can," _the woman said, not stopping her inscribing, _"I am Vitani, most loyal and trusted servant of the all powerful Lord Jetsu Maeda, and he has taught me much in the arts of Millennium Magic."

"Jetsu Maeda…!" _Shadi gasped. The High Priest from the scriptures had born that name! Were they one in the same…or just a member of the same family?? His expression darkened. _"Tell me, Miss Vitani," _he said, trying to remain calm, _"If I have business with your master, what must I do to obtain an audience with him?" 

_Vitani frowned and she set her hammer and chisel down. _"You'll have to get through me," _she said, fingering the handle of the Millennium Sword. Shadi took a step back. If there was going to be a fight, he did not want to give this girl the advantage by being in the perfect position for her to jump on him. _

_ But there was no time for fighting, as the door that Vitani had already finished with swung open and a man clad in shining black armor stepped out into the corridor. _"Vitani…" _he said, with the air of a father scolding a young child,_ "What have I told you about frightening the natives…?"

_ The woman bowed her head. _"Forgive me, Master," _she said_, "But this man sought to disturb you. I was simply trying to deter him from that course of action."

_At these words, the knight turned towards Shadi. _"And who are you, that thinks himself worthy enough to trespass in my Pyramid?"

"I am Shadi…guardian of the Millennium Items," _Shadi said, releasing his hold on the magic that had hidden him from the weak-minded_, "I wish to know what your purpose is, building this obstruction in the sacred land of the ancient kings."

"That's very simple," _Jetsu said_, "I intend to become king."

"You're mad!" _Shadi cried_, "I'll put an end to this right here!" _He withdrew the Millennium Key from his cloak and held it up towards Jetsu. _'I'll enter his mind and rearrange it – destroying this strange evil at its core!' _he thought, sending a wave of magic towards the knight._

_Jetsu cocked his head, the Millennium Shield on his arm glowing brightly._ "Was that all?" _he asked._

_ Taken aback, and slightly worried, Shadi retreated another step. _ 'His mental defenses are like none I've ever encountered before!_' he thought hurriedly_, 'That Key was my only weapon against him. If he has rendered it useless, then I have no way to stop him!'

"I think…if that's all you can do..." _Jetsu said, raising the arm which held the Millennium Shield_, "Then I have no use for you." _And before Shadi could even react, the room was filled with red light and his soul was torn from his body. His eyes went blank and he crumpled to the floor. Jetsu stood over the body and kicked at it._ "Pathetic…" _he muttered_, "yet, not altogether useless_." He bent down and pulled the Key out of Shadi's limp hand._ "Quite nice of him to drop by and give this to me, wasn't it, Vitani?" With that Jetsu began to retreat back into his chamber.

"Sir! Sir, what should I do with the body?"

_Jetsu stopped, his back still to Vitani. She looked apprehensive, as if now regretting that she had spoken at all. At long last, his harsh, deep voice emitted again and he began to walk away,_ "Do what you want with it. It doesn't matter…"

"Yes sir," _ Vitani nodded._

Another rush of wind, and the two souls returned to their respective bodies. Yami was glaring at Jetsu, while the other seemed very calm, almost happy. "Did you enjoy that?" Jetsu asked, "No? Good. Because I've got much more to show you before this duel is over…"


	36. Chapter 36 The Final Duel: The Reign of ...

Author's Note: Sorry for the slowness of the update. Our phone-lines were down for a couple of days, so we couldn't get on-line to research the cards we needed to use. But anyway, everything's going good again and here's the newest installment! And even better news - we'll be getting DSL in a few weeks, so we should never have internet problems again! Sweet, no?? Anyway, onward to the new chapter!

* * *

Chapter 36

"Final Duel, Part 2: Reign of the Jackal – Jetsu's Ultimate Beast!"

Pushing another card into his Duel Disk, Yami's voice echoed across the large chamber, "I'm going to end this duel before you get that chance, starting now: Swords of Revealing Light!" Nearly one hundred different light beams swooped down from the heavens and locked Jetsu's two monsters in place.

"This will give me three turns before you can attack, so your plan to eliminate my hand will fail!"

"Wrong!" Jetsu's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he pressed one of the buttons on his Duel Disk 2, "My destiny cannot wait, especially for your pitiful attempts to delay the inevitable, so I activate this trap: The Pyro Clock of Destiny!" A large, round, brown stone appeared out of Jetsu's trap, the numbers 1, 2, and 3 all engraved on it in the shape of a triangle and a hand like that of a clock was pointing at the 3. Without warning, the 3 erupted in violent, dancing reddish-orange flames. Both men shielded themselves from the enormous heat wave that was sent across the room and Yami turned his head away, unable to look at the brightness any more.

When the last flickers of flame had died, Yugi's panicked voice filled Yami's head, _'Yami, look at the clock!'_ The hand had gotten the top burned off of it and where there should have been a 3 there was just scorched stone. The damaged hand fell downward, seeming to move with great difficulty. It stopped pointing at the two, jagged, burnt edges leaving an etched 1/3 circle from the 3 to the 2.

"What? Jetsu, what is the meaning of this?"

The other duelist folded his arms, "What does it look like? Your Swords of Revealing Light aren't going to protect you from me for long, and I doubt those two turns will be enough to save you. My move now!" He pulled a card out of the Duel Disk (Spirit Reaper). _Hmmm, that's one… _"I move my Mysterious Guard into defense mode and end my turn."

Yami closed his eyes and drew his card. He knew that what it was even without looking, "I place one monster in defense mode (Big Shield Gardna (100/2600)) and end my turn."

"It's about the only thing that you can do." The descendant of one of Egypt's high priests selected the next card from the top of his deck (Polymerization) _Two…_ "I end my turn, but your Swords will end with it!" The Swords disappeared weakly, and Jetsu's Mysterious Guard relaxed, while the Winged Sage Falcos continued to struggle against his bindings. 

"Now, I draw!" Yami picked up the top card (Graceful Charity), "I use the magic card Graceful Charity, to draw three cards to my hand and discard two!" The Duel Disk allowed for three more cards to be taken out (Dark Magician, Monster Reborn, and Brain Control) and Yami placed his two into the graveyard (De-Spell, Dark Magician), "Next, another magic card: Monster Reborn! This card allows for me to take one monster from my graveyard and place it on the field in face-up attack or defense mode!"

Jetsu pressed one final button on his dueling machine, "It would, if not for this trap card: The Royal Oppression!" Jetsu's last face-down card flipped up, and two knights holding long, jagged spears jumped out of the card and slashed the Monster Reborn card in four uneven pieces, which shattered simultaneously. 

Yami had to bite his tongue to keep from screaming in frustration! Every move he made was being countered by Jetsu! _Yami! Please calm down! _Yugi's voice echoed through his mind, _This is exactly what Jetsu wants you to do – lose your focus! _Yami sighed. Yugi was right – if he was going to defeat Jetsu, it would be more than a battle of Duel Monsters. It would be a battle of wills.

Jetsu's life points slowly decreased down to 6200, "What's the matter Pharaoh? It only took 800 life points to stop that miserable little plan of yours. Is our game really going to be this boring? Shall I end it now?"

Yami spoke loudly, masking his irritation with courage, "This duel is far from over! Now, I set one card (De-Fusion) and end my turn."

Maeda looked down at his newest pull (Nightmare Horse), "Perfect! I activate Polymerization, to fuse the Spirit Reaper and Nightmare Horse in my hand to reveal the Reaper on the Nightmare (800/600)! This is a monster so powerful that it can go through other monsters to get to your life points!" There was a rush of wind and a swelling of red flames rising out from the cracks in the stone floor. Yami pulled his cape around himself, something jogging in his memory that it had been sealed with a spell to make it flame-retardant. As the flames licked the walls and retreated into the cracks again, Yami swung his cloak back behind him once again and found himself staring up at a frightening sight.

A skeleton dressed in a purple robe was clutching a scythe in one hand and the reins of a horse in the other. The horse itself seemed to be made of pure blue energy wrapped loosely in stained linen bindings. It snorted and pawed at the floor restlessly before Jetsu snapped his fingers, ordering its attack, and it charged at Yami.

"Not so fast!" the Pharaoh cried, "I activate my magic card De-Fusion, dismantling your monster!" From the DD2 shot a jolt of lightning, striking the horse in the chest. Instantly, the monster split back into its original forms. The Spirit Reaper fell back but the Horse continued on, running straight through Yami, nearly knocking him over and lowering his life points. Yami: 6700 – Jetsu: 6200.

"A fair move, at best. My deck has much more than that to offer me than that." Jetsu move done card on his Duel Disk and Spirit Reaper switched into defense mode, "Your move."

Yami selected his next card (Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1), "I summon the Winged Dragon in attack mode (1400/1200)! Now, you have nothing to protect your pitiful Nightmare Horse from my attack: Go my dragon!" The little blue reptile spat a tremendous fireball that smashed the strange horse, burning it to a crisp. The intense heat seemed to not affect Jetsu at all, because his Millennium Shield was glowing again. Yami: 6700 – Jetsu: 5300.

The king of Egypt smirked, "For all of your talk and bragging, I'm the one who's winning this duel!"

Jetsu snorted, "Believe what you want," He picked up his next card and placed it on the field, "Pot of Greed…" Without waiting to see the Pharaoh's reaction, his Duel Disk pushed out another two cards to him (Mystical Knight of Jackal and Offerings to the Doomed), "First, my magic card Offerings to the Doomed, to eliminate your Big Shield Gardna."

A table appeared in front of Jetsu, many different bottles and other objects all placed around a book in the center. The book opened and Yami's monster was sucked inside the pages, now merely a memory. Jetsu picked up another card from his hand, "Now I sacrifice my useless Winged Sage Falcos and my worthless Mysterious Guard to summon the almighty Mystical Knight of Jackal (2700/1200)! Your end is at hand!" 

The room shook and down from the ceiling dropped a creature that looked to Yami like Anubis in true physical form. The creature had the head of a jackal and the body of a well-built man. Short brown fur covered him and he was dressed in silver Egyptian armor and headdress, with a deep blue cape draped over his shoulders. His eyes were small and black as beetles and he surveyed the Pharaoh silently after he touched down on the ground.

"What kind of monstrosity have you created?" Yami demanded of Jetsu, who was smiling savagely.

"This is the monster that will be your downfall Yami. I guarantee it! Nothing can defeat my all-powerful Jackal!" Jetsu took a step forward, standing only about a foot from the creature, "For you see, this monster exploits a weakness that exists in every deck, even yours!"

Yami's eyes narrowed slightly, "I don't believe you; No monster could be that powerful!"

"You'll see what I mean." Jetsu thrust his Sword forward quickly, its red glow making the Mystical Knight of Jackal seem menacing and dangerous, "Jackal, attack!" The beast disappeared in the blink of an eye. And was nowhere to be seen.

Yami glanced around the arena as a touch of panic shot through him. _'Where'd it go??' _ Yugi voiced what was racing through both their minds. There was a rush of air beside Yami and an instant later a horrible burning pain burst in his right shoulder! 

The Jackal had appeared beside them, thrusting its spear-like weapon towards the Winged Dragon. The blow had severed the blue beast's head completely, while also putting a fairly good sized graze across Yami's right shoulder in the process. The Pharaoh stumbled to one side, clutching his wound and panting with pain. Jetsu's cold laugh filled the chamber.

"That was but a sample, Pharaoh. Unfortunately, my monster does not have the power to kill you right here and now. Trust me though, you will die." The Jackal leaped into the air and landed in front of his master, kneeling.

Yami stumbled several steps backward, bumping into the chilly stone wall behind him, taking in sharp, ragged breaths.

"How fitting," Jetsu spoke up, mockingly, "But perhaps you should see for yourself why." He twisted his wrist quickly and snapped his fingers. The chamber flooded with light, causing Yami to blink several times in surprise.

The now-illuminated walls were full of the ancient scriptures. He gazed around at them, blinking back tears of pain as he tried to read them. He caught his own name several times as well as many others he didn't know. He pushed himself off of the wall, and turned around, wondering numbly why Jetsu thought it had been fitting that he had stopped to lean against that particular part of the wall.

The blood from his open shoulder had smeared where he had been leaning and he realized at once what Jetsu found so amusing. The hieroglyphics dripping with his blood told the story of his death in his first life.

Before Yami could begin to read the long story, he heard the dark voice again, "Now is not the time to dwell on the past, King Yami. I believe that you should be more concerned with your new death. Two for the price of one isn't too bad now is it? Only fourteen years old; My, so young. He never even had a chance, did he?"

Yami whipped back around, tearing a strip of cloth off of his cape and quickly wrapping his shoulder. Jetsu was right – Yugi was the one who was going to end up worst for all of this, it was _his_ body. He just had to come up with something, for the boy's sake if not for the world's. He inhaled deeply, trying to slow his heart rate and the rate of blood flowing from his wound. "I know your tricks now, Maeda," he said slowly, "And they won't work on me again. My host and I are going to be the ones who walk from this tomb alive, I can assure you of that."

"I tell you again, I assure the opposite. Just look at your Duel Disk."

Yami's eyes darted down to his Duel Disk, where the points were counting down. Yami: 5400 – Jetsu: 5300. "So? My life points are still higher!"

The descendant of the High Priest of Egypt shook his finger, reprimanding the Pharaoh sardonically, "But what about your monster? Looks like he didn't survive the blast. Don't worry though, you'll be seeing him again soon enough."

Puzzled, Yami drew his card as his turn began and was surprised to find the Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress as his newest card. "What the –??" he stammered.

"Confused?" Jetsu said, "I'm not surprised. When a monster is destroyed by the Mystical Knight of Jackal it is instantly placed at the top of its deck. You can play it again if you like, but it will only be a repeat of last turn. Or you can choose to play nothing at all, and risk a head-on attack by my monster…"

_'Yugi, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do. He's got me in a lock!'_

The voice in his head sounded terrified, but Yugi had obviously tired to put on a brave face, _'I understand. Let's hope that next turn we get something worth using, or we're done for!'_

Yami turned to face Jetsu, "I choose to end my turn without playing any cards."

The man raised an eyebrow, "So, you choose to face my monster, even knowing now what awaits you? Your false act of bravery can't fool me. I see the fear in your eyes: you know that this next hit brings your little friend one step closer to the tomb. And there's nothing you can do about it."

Jetsu snapped his fingers again and the Jackal vanished, only to reappear seconds later in front of Yami. With one quick movement, he let his elbow collide with the Pharaoh's skull, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Yami sat up slowly, his head feeling like it had split in two. Yami: 2700 – Jetsu: 5300.

"Did you like that my lord? Knowing that you're letting down everyone? While you sit there on your ass and feel sorry for yourself, those you call 'friends' are down below us," he pointed his finger downward, grinning insanely, "bleeding to death. When their bodies go, so will their spirits. Of course, some spirits will have the pleasure of dieing before that happens."

He waved a hand and out of the floor behind him rose a large stone cross, and Yami gasped, choking a bit on the blood in his mouth. Chained to the cross, in a torn and dirty white dress, head hung, ebony hair covering her face, was…

"_Dedi!!!_" Yami cried, feeling the anger and fear rise that he had worked so hard to suppress rise to the surface once again as he watched his wife's motionless spirit hang by gold chains on the stone cross. 

At his voice, she raise her head slightly, brown eyes bleary. "…Yami…?" she said softly, "…is that you…?"

"What has he done to you?!" the Pharaoh demanded. 

"I have done nothing," Jetsu hissed menacingly, "Yet. Perhaps that should change!" He snapped his fingers and the Mystical Knight of Jackal turned around, slowly starting towards the battered-looking Queen.

"NOOOO!!!!!!!!" Yami cried, his Millennium Puzzle bursting with light and sending a surge of brilliant golden energy flying towards the beast.

Jetsu side-stepped quickly, and held up the Millennium Shield and allowing the blast from the Puzzle to impale it. He dropped the Sword down to his feet in concentration, sweat now forming tiny beads on his bald scalp, "Your Puzzle may be your most powerful creation Yami, but this Item holds the power of 4 Items, the souls of your friends, and the magic of your grandson!" The man shouted over the deafening clash of the two Millennium Items. He snapped his fingers again and the monster stopped several inches away from its target.

Yami's Puzzle faded back to its normal color and he stood, panting and staring at Jetsu in confusion. "The magic of my…grandson…?" he repeated, remembering vaguely the writings on the door outside the chamber.

Dedi had moved her eyes away from the Jackal, that was still staring at her hungrily. "What is he talking about, Yami…?" she asked, "What grandson…?"

"It seems there are things in our past that were hidden even from you, Dedi…" Yami called to her, "If Jetsu is telling the truth, which I have no reason to doubt at the moment…the Pharaoh responsible for the new Millennium Items was a…descendent of ours…"

"But…that would mean…" Dedi's voiced trailed off.

"It does," Interrupted Jetsu abruptly, "On my door are the carvings of his last writings. He died at the age of seventeen, a stupid, wide-eyed boy. He never even saw it coming. My ancestor, Jetsu the first, saw to that."

He raised the Shield and the room misted over once again as now all three of them were allowed to view the ancient history as spectators… 

* * *

Alone up in the high sanctuary atop the palace of the kings, 17 year-old King Yami III was on his knees, beseeching the gods to grant him strength. But the voices of the venerable guardians of Egypt did not reach his ears. All he could hear was the crackle of the torches that lit the chamber and the muffled sounds of the siege ravaging the city around him. The young Pharaoh raised his piercing blue eyes to the shrine on the wall in front of him, gazing longingly at the painting of his grandfather, the great King Yami II, most powerful man to ever rule his country. 

Staring up at his ancestor, Yami III felt despair well up within him and turned his eyes to the floor, too ashamed of the disaster to which he had led his people to face his grandfather any longer. Instead he let his gaze fall upon the seven pieces of gold lying on the floor before him.

The mirror, once belonging to his mother, still shone brightly despite the crack in the glass. 

Beside that were the earrings that his 18 year-old wife, Gehazi, had given to him to use. Her beauty and kindness seemed to radiate off of the tiny gold orbs with a hypnotic effect.

Next in line was the staff, thin but durable, that had been crafted for his father when he had come to the throne through marriage. 

The sword and shield his chief priests had had fashioned for him to use to help his people rise up against the ever-increasing threat of the Greeks were lying directly in front of the young king. It seemed almost a mockery to use them, but this decision had been so short notice that there wasn't time to fashion all new objects like they had done in the past.

A few inches over was the golden cat statue that had been crafted to join him in his tomb as a guide to the underworld. Its jade eyes seemed almost lifelike as he stared at it.

Finally was the hourglass that had stood in the main chamber, used to time duels and other events of competition. Inscribed with ancient legends of time travel, the white grains of sand within the glass swirled to a fro of its own accord. 

These would be his legacy, his last stand, his final chance to live up to the name of his grandfather – his new Millennium Items. Yami III bowed so low his crowned forehead touched the floor, as he felt the desolation overwhelm him. _ 'Grandfather, please…don't let me be a failure…' _he begged silently, _'I don't know what to do anymore…I don't want to let our people down…Help me protect them…'_

The door to the chamber opened, the sound filling the virtually silent chamber only for a second before it swung closed again. The King of Egypt didn't break his concentration on the prayer until a hand came down and rested on his shoulder softly, a kindly voice following suit, "My Lord, don't despair. You are making a wise decision. I'm sure that your grandfather would be proud."

Yami III raised his head. His trusted servant, his highest priest Jetsu Maeda was smiling at him. "Thank you," he said, sitting up, "I'm ready to begin. Just tell me what to do."

"Well, first you have to stand up, my lord." Jetsu offered him his hand, using the other to straighten the teen's crown again.

Yami III took his hand and stood up, feeling comforted being in the presence of his old friend. He swallowed hard, "And now what?"

Jetsu closed his eyes for a moment, touching Yami III with two fingers on his left hand to the young man's forehead, "Focus on your energy, sir. Draw it to the surface. Then leave the rest to me."

Yami III nodded, and closed his eyes. Slowly, as his face contorted with the effort, the ancient Egyptian eye began to glow on his forehead. 

The Millennium Eye also began to glow on Jetsu's head, though his eyes were once again open and the color of his symbol was a deep, blood red. A golden aura began to emit from around the Pharaoh, taking the revealed ancient magics that were a part of his heritage and beginning to places them within the assorted Items.

Yami III could feel the sweat beading on his face as he felt his strength begin to leave him. "Jetsu…" he said, "How near are we to being finished?"

"Close now. Close…" the voice was colder, harsher sounding. Not the voice that Yami III had come to know from his childhood, "I believe that only the Shield has yet to take its share of the magic."

The young king nodded, but he felt his knees begin to buckle underneath him. Fatigue was enveloping him, and he began to wonder if this would not be happening if only he were stronger…like Yami II… "Jetsu…" he panted, "I feel…so weak…is this supposed to happen…?"

"Yes, but probably not from your perspective. This was supposed to happen for seventeen years ago. But your dear, fool of a mother managed to prolong what is most definitely the inevitable." The Millennium Eye began to burn black on Jetsu's forehead, and the magic removal spell increased vastly in strength.

A burning pain tore through Yami III's forehead and his stunning blue eyes snapped open, tearing. "Jetsu!" his cried, seeing for the first time the maddening glint in the man's eyes and the black aura that surrounded them both, "What are you doing?!?"

"What I was meant to do!!" Jetsu said cruelly, "Your family was never worthy to hold the royal title of Egypt." He raised his right hand, the Millennium Shield now glowing fiercely behind them as it gained power, "And I will prove it for the final time now," his hand glowed the same black as the aura around them, "Goodbye, stupid boy!" 

The surge of black magical energy that Jetsu fired at poor Yami III blew the wall behind the boy clear off, letting in a rush of the smoggy night air. What remained of the body couldn't really be called that anymore, as there were merely bits and tatters of cloth surrounded by a pool of blood on the floor in front of the high priest.

The man sighed and wiped the sweat off of his forehead, slowly walking over to the Items and retrieving the Millennium Shield. _'It is quite a nice fit, actually,'_ the man mused to himself, as he slid it onto his arm. Then the slightest sound reached his ears – the muted grinding of a stone door and hurried soft-soled footsteps beyond the door.

"Gehazi," he said and, grabbing the Sword as well, tore out of the room. He caught a glimpse of the young woman's long blonde hair as she disappeared around the corner, "Gehazi!" He roared and began to run, but after only one step two other white-robed men had blocked his path.

"Jetsu? What's going on? What's happened?" the first asked, the voice firm and commanding.

"And why do you have that Shield?" followed the second, this one nervous and with a voice slightly high for a middle-aged man.

*

Shouts echoed down the corridor as Gehazi's slippers pounded along the floor, but she ignored them. Her mind was ablaze and tears were streaming out of her purple eyes. Her beloved husband was gone and on top of that the palace was under siege. An explosion erupted that shook the whole corridor and she didn't have time to stop and wonder where it had come from. She heard voices crying out in what she could only guess was Greek and saw the shadows of a storm of men rise up along the wall around the next corner.

She turned and fled down a different path, realizing too late that she was too upset to remember where she was or how to get out. She kept running blindly until a hand shot out from nowhere and grabbed her. She tried to scream, but a second hand clamped down over her mouth. She glanced at her captor and nearly fainted with relief. 

A woman about her age with wild white hair and blue eyes was smiling grimly at her. It was Delilah, a servant girl who had worked in the palace since she was small. "I'm glad I found you, your majesty," she whispered, "Come, quickly, we have to get out. The invaders have already stormed the main hall." Releasing the Queen's arm and taking her by the hand instead, Delilah lead Gehazi down to the servant's exits. After a few minutes of stumbling in the dark, with the young Queen's stifled sobs as the only sound, they emerged into the fire lit streets of the city.

Delilah moved to keep going, but Gehazi held back. The servant turned to see the Queen fall to her knees, becoming violently ill on the dirt ground. "M'lady, please," the white-haired girl said, kneeling down beside her, "I know all this running isn't good for the baby, but we must leave before the invaders realize they haven't captured you yet."

Gehazi looked up, bleary eyed and bewildered, "B-baby…??" she coughed, "How do you…? What makes you think…?"

"You've been showing the signs for a few weeks now," Delilah said, "But we must hurry now. We can discuss more once we're safely away from the city." With that, the two women disappeared into the madness of the city, making their way towards the Nile, and safety. 

* * *

The images faded away and Yami found himself standing on the stone floor of the dueling arena again, fists clenched, seething with anger. The young Pharaoh…his grandson had reminded him too much of his young counterpart. Having to watch the boy's murder was almost like watching Yugi being destroyed, and it brought on the realization of how unable to forgive himself he would be if something like that were to repeat itself.

"I have always admired my ancestors flare for style. Did you like my little presentation? However, he made one mistake," Jetsu bent down and picked up the Sword again, leaning against it casually, "He let the boy's wife escape, which led all the way down the line to our situation here. You have a body, one with the blood of a Pharaoh that runs through its veins. I'm going to finish the job here and now Yami!" Jetsu was yelling now, pointing angrily now, "Once my jackal destroys the rest of your life points, he's going to finish off the last dirty drops of blood left in your line!"


	37. Chapter 37 The Final Duel: Salvation!

A Note from the authors: To everyone - we already know that when the card "Card of Last Will" is played, it's text has been altered. We did this because we needed to, so please don't complain - unless of course you want to see Yami lose. Other than that - enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 37

"Final Duel, Part Three: Salvation!"

The chamber had suddenly gone quiet, with the only sound being the ragged breathing of the Pharaoh, who was still clutching his wounded shoulder tenderly. His mind was racing with questions, and he thought briefly how, had the situation not been so dire, he would have liked to read through the whole of Jetsu's walls. Everything that he'd ever wanted to know about his past was right here in front of him and he could do nothing but endure Jetsu's taunting displays of the time when he had been revered. He wanted more, his curiosity was overflowing, but he was in no position to really be posing questions.

At that moment, Dedi's soft voice floated through the air, posing the question that Yami was most anxious to find the answer to. "I don't understand…in order for there to have been a grandchild…there would've had to be…a child first…" she said slowly, "Why can't we remember that…?"

Jetsu snapped his fingers and the Jackal raised its arm threateningly at her, the point of his wrist-spear drawing dangerously close to her throat. She pulled her head back, cringing, trying to put more distance between herself and the blade.

"Worthless dessert snake," Jetsu snapped, glancing sideways at her, "You will do to keep your tongue still, if you do not wish it to be removed." He turned back to the arena, "I believe it is your turn, my liege."

Yami's nostrils flared, but he did his best to ignore Jetsu for now, and pulled the next card from his deck (Card of Last Will), "First, I activate the magic card Brain Control, taking your Spirit Reaper into my possession!"

The large brain came out of his magic card and attached itself to the Spirit Reaper. The monster let out a horrible, blood-curdling screech and thrust its own scythe into itself, shattering into hundreds of little pieces and disappearing.

"When the Spirit Reaper is targeted by magic or trap cards that specifically designate a target, he kills himself to avoid disobeying his master." Jetsu placed one foot in the small puddle of blood that the monster had left behind, "If only there were more real beings like him." The man sighed, looking slightly disappointed.

_'That's not all that bad, actually,'_ came Yugi's voice inside of Yami's throbbing head, _'If we can't destroy it in battle, then this works as well.'_

"Now, I set one card face-down (Rope of Life) and one monster in defense mode (Winged Dragon (1400/1200))." Yami's eyes weren't really focused on the duel, but rather he was trying to catch Dedi's attention. He wanted to try to reassure her in some way, but it probably didn't look very good from her point of view.

"My move," Jetsu pulled out the next card from his deck (Axe of Despair), "I equip my Jackal with the Axe of Despair, raising his stats to 3700/1200!" 

The Jackal turned away from Dedi and raised his right hand in the air. A mini-twister of silver and red dust swirled around his open hand and formed itself into a huge, ornate axe. After it had solidified, the Jackal swung it through the air a few times, as if getting the feel for how it worked.

Yami heard Yugi utter a tiny whimper unintentionally, and he knew they were both thinking the same thing: if they couldn't pull this off, that axe was going to…well…Yami didn't want to think about that…

"Now, my beast, attack his pathetic monster. Soon you will put that Axe to a much better use." The Jackal rushed forward and sliced the down card in two. The Winged Dragon appeared again only for an instant before disappearing again.

Yami pressed down the button on his Duel Disk, "I activate my trap: Card of Last Will! It allows me to draw five new cards when one of my monsters is sent to the card graveyard!" The Spirit of the Puzzle began to pick up more cards, while Jetsu stared in disbelief.

The descendant of Egypt's leading high priest stood rooted to his spot, unable to believe the Pharaoh's good fortune. _No! I'm losing control of this duel!_

Yami Yugi spread the cards and added them to his hand, examining each (Kuriboh, Slifer the Sky Dragon, Pot of Greed, The Winged Dragon of Ra, Multiply), "Now I draw!" The same card that he had gotten last turn appeared once again (Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress #1), "I will now activate the magic card Pot of Greed allowing me to draw even more cards into my hand!" 

He selected his next two cards (Reasoning and Mystical Space Typhoon), "First, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your Royal Oppression!" Two lightning fast bolts of energy shot out of the magic card and struck the two guards that had been standing near their trap card, felling them both.

Maeda eyed the spot on his side of the field where his trap card had been just moments ago curiously, "Why destroy that card? I should think that you would be more worried about my Axe of Despair. That threat seems rather imminent, wouldn't you agree?" The Jackal made another angry swipe with the Axe, cutting through the air with no resistance.

Yami pushed another of his cards into his Duel Disk, "Here's your answer: my Reasoning magic card!" The man smiled at his opponent and another green-rimmed card appeared on the field. There was a rush of green smoke and out of it appeared a tall man in a green cloak and large turban, floating in mid-air in a sitting position, and holding a smoking pipe in one hand. "Fitting, isn't it Jetsu? I've tried to reason with you, but now you'll be forced to play my game."

Jetsu gritted his teeth together tightly, "And what game is that, Pharaoh?"

"A simple game of chance," Yami said, forcing a smile despite the pain, "All you have to do is call out the level number for a monster card. Then I pick up cards from the top of my deck until I find a monster. If the level of that monster is the same as the number you called out, then every card pulled is sent to the graveyard. If the level number is different, than that monster is summoned to the field in face-up attack or defense mode, and any extra cards are sent to the graveyard. The rules are lengthy, but the object of the game is quite easy to understand." The floating man in the green robe blew a few smoke rings from his pipe. "Well, Maeda?" Yami asked, "Shall we start the game?"

"Let's. And I believe that your next monster will be as pitiful as every other card in your deck: a level 4." The smoking man held up a card to Yami that read '4'.

Yami began to draw cards: Polymerization… Dust Tornado… Dark Hole… Obelisk the Tormentor. This had not really been what Yami had been hoping for, but it certainly was an interesting twist of fate. "The card I've drawn is one you should recognize, Maeda, for it belongs to the time of your ancestors!" The Pharaoh placed the blue card down on the DD2 and shouted, "Come forth – Obelisk the Tormentor!!!"

The ground shook and bits of stone and dust fell loose from the walls as the chamber filled with blue light and the almighty God Monster materialized, in full physical form, in the arena. It was so tall that it broke a hole in the ceiling as it raised itself up to its full height. Through the dust that was settling, Yami saw Dedi's eyes widen as she stared up in awe at the magnificent creature.

"Obelisk the Tormentor has 4000/4000 stats," Yami said, proudly gazing up at the huge blue monster, "Which is just enough to defeat your Jackal! Go Obelisk!" Yami pointed towards the Mystical Knight of Jackal, which wasn't even moving, just staring up at the huge monster, unable even to try to defend itself.

Jetsu's wide, green eyes watched as the mighty beast took one giant step forward and swung its almighty fist down upon his monster. Surprisingly, the God monster's attack also managed to clip Jetsu, sending the man sprawling several feet away. Yami: 2700 – Jetsu: 5000.

"You did it, Yami!" Dedi cried happily, "I knew you'd find a way out of this!"

"Silence, bitch!" Jetsu roared, having gotten quickly to his feet and back-handing her across the face, "You will not speak unless spoken too – like a proper woman."

"**Leave her alone!**" Yami shouted across the hall, "You battle is with me – leave my wife out of it!"

"My battle has always been with both of you," Jetsu said, turning back to face the Pharaoh, "Ever since the days of my ancestors…" The shield glowed and for a third time, the images of the past were displayed in the center of the room, for all to see…

* * *

The stone door of the tomb was slid shut by a team of ten men, and the mummified body of King Yami II was sealed away after days of preparing the dead Pharaoh for his journey to the underworld. Standing at the front of a group of mourners, Queen Dedi was holding her three-year-old daughter, Chaldea, in her arms while both of them tried hard not to cry. As the sound of the slamming door faded away, the group began to disperse, many of them murmuring words of consolation to the Queen as they left. Dedi forced a smile and nodded to each one, shifting Chaldea from one hip to the other. Then she joined them as they retreated from the pyramid.

The palace was particularly cold that day, but Dedi doubted that this had anything to do with the weather. She spent the next several hours praying in her room to the large painting of her departed husband and the Millennium Puzzle that still lay on his desk along with three stone carvings of the God Monsters that he had engraved himself. Chaldea was sitting on the floor, playing with a tiny, sewn-together doll of Osirus. 

Though Dedi was sure that she had instructed the servants not to let anyone disturb her, the door opened quietly and closed just as quickly. The Queen tried to ignore the footsteps of whomever dared intrude upon her mourning, but the quiet voice that sounded nearly made her snap on the spot, "It wasn't your fault, my Queen. There was nothing that you could've done."

"Yes I could have!" Dedi said, jerking around and staring up at Basu Maeda, "I could have kept him from listening to you!" Her voice was rising as all the hurt and anger swelled up inside her. "It was you who convinced him to give up his magic to the Millennium Items! _You _who told him to seal off the Gods – knowing the risk it would put on his life!" She shook her head violently, "Why he ever trusted you is beyond me." There were tears in her eyes now, and Chaldea had stopped playing, clearly sensing that something was wrong.

"I have served this kingdom for many years and my _suggestions _have often benefited the well-being of this country," Basu held his arms stiffly at his sides, straightening up, "King Yami I, your husband's father, placed his greatest faith in me during his reign."

"Yes he did," Dedi nodded, "And he ended up dead as well, didn't he?"

"Barak's interference was not my fault, I would like to remind you," Basu said, his voice cold and testy, "And since Yami II defeated Barak, I believe he was quiet capable of making his own decisions. Your husband agreed with my advice."

"He wouldn't have agreed if he'd know it would end his life!" Dedi cried, no longer thinking rationally but rather letting her tattered emotions get the better of her.

Basu lowered his hood, his eyes flashing dangerously, "I must agree. He might not have gone along with my plan had he known it would end _your_ life."

"I…you…what?!" she stammered, eyes widening, "What are you talking about…??" She was on her feet now, instinctively glancing over at where her daughter was sitting.

"I thought that my meaning was rather clear. Yes, it was very kind of the Pharaoh to remove himself from the picture for me. Makes my life so much easier," Basu took a step towards Dedi, then another more quickly, raising his right hand and mumbling a spell under his breath.

"You set him up…" Dedi said, the full horror of the truth settling down upon her, "You knew…_YOU KNEW!!!_" She reached behind her back for the Millennium Scale and her eyes widened as her hand patted the empty sling that had been specially designed to hold her weapon of choice. _'Where is it?'_

"Oh dear…you've been careless, my Queen. You never even noticed when I managed to unhook your scale and set it in the burial chamber with your husband. It still resides there now, sealed away by the guards. Funny, how his last gift to you still wasn't enough to protect you," he turned his head, now gazing at the confused child, "…or his daughter."

At that moment, the door to the bed chamber opened and a tall man with his long black hair tied back at the nape of his neck came running into the room. "Mistress!" he said, stopping short as he surveyed the area quickly, green eyes narrowed, "What's going on here…?"

"Shem!!" Dedi cried, running towards their faithful bodyguard, "Basu's betrayed us all! He –" She stopped moving suddenly, as if frozen.

Basu was walking up behind her, hand still raised and muttering non-stop. There was a flash of light and Basu lowered his hand, breathing hard. Dedi was still rooted to the spot, but her eyes were glazed over and chalk white. She collapsed in a heap on the ground, her head hitting the stone with a hard _Crack!_

Chaldea screamed and Shem was shaken to his senses. He rushed to Dedi's side, pressing his fingers to her throat, checking for a pulse. There was none. He glared up at Basu, "What in the name of the gods did you do to her?!"

Basu ignored him, walking towards the quivering child and raising his hand once again.

"Don't you dare!!!" Shem cried, leaping up and quickly throwing himself in front of Chaldea, pulling his sacred Mirror out from the folds of his cloak. "Don't try anything, Maeda!" he warned, "Anything you direct at me will be reflected right back at you! And I plan to keep myself between you and the Princess." Shem felt the little girl's small arms cling to the back of his robes and sincerely hoped that he would be strong enough to keep her safe.

The High Priest stopped, glaring at the bodyguard with distain, "Don't kid yourself, Matoh. I can and will shatter that pathetic little toy of yours. Get out of the way if you value your life; The Pharaoh is no longer here to protect you, either." He craned his head back towards Dedi, "And the Queen won't be much help from inside the Scale, miles away."

Shem swallowed hard. Maeda was right – without the Pharaoh's magic to guide him, his mirror might have lost its power. There was only one way to make sure that it was preserved. "That may be so…" he said slowly, "But there are more ways than one to protect her!" With this, he turned his back on Basu, hiding Chaldea with the long sleeves of his robe, muttering rapidly to himself. A bright light began emitting from the mirror, filling the dim room. 

As it faded, he slumped over, struggling to keep himself up on his elbows. The Pharaoh's daughter clung to him, sobbing. "Please, Princess…" he whispered, "Keep the mirror…it will protect you as long as you are strong…I have poured my heart into it…my love and devotion for you and your parents…never show signs of weakness…and you will never need to fear evil in the world…" He rubbed his cheek against hers, feeling her warm tears on his skin, "You'll keep this promise for me…won't you…?" 

Chaldea nodded sadly and Shem hit the floor, gone. She turned wet eyes to Basu, clutching the mirror and trying to be brave for Shem's sake.

"Idiot! Absolute rubbish!" Basu stomped forward, kicking Shem's dead body away, "The fool has no idea of what he's dealing with!" Maeda raised both of his hands towards the child, and nearly shouting out his next incantation. 

"No!" Chaldea cried, "Go away! Leave me alone!" The mirror began glowing again, and Basu found himself being pushed backwards, away from her by what felt like strong, invisible hands. He didn't have time to wonder about just what Shem had done with his final act because there were hurried footsteps in the hallway outside and seconds later, five of the Council of Priests and a few of the servants came running in.

"Basu!!" a Priest with a shaved head gasped as he was the first to enter the room, "What happened?!"

There was a shriek from the servants as they all spotted the two dead bodies and poor little Chaldea standing between them, shaking and still clutching the mirror. 

"It was…horrible…" Basu said, his voice now soft, "Matoh killed the Queen! I arrived here just in time to save the Princess…"

"Young mistress!!" one of the female servants said, swooping down and scooping Chaldea into her arms, "You poor little thing…it's all right now…don't you cry…" 

The little princess squirmed in the woman arms, crying out, "It wasn't Shem! It wasn't! He didn't kill Mama – Basu did it! Basu did it!"

Basu didn't even flinch, but rather patted the girl gently on the head, "The poor child is so shocked that she's delusional. Perhaps she should be taken away from here. Such a trauma certainly risks her ending up with serious brain damage." 

"An excellent idea," another Priest said, "Thank goodness you were able to save her, Basu."

The man clenched his fist tightly by his side, but then allowed his cloak sleeve to cover it, "Yes… a miracle."

* * *

Jetsu was standing his tallest now, holding the shield almost in front of himself, "My ancestor was able to defeat you, Yami, and I'm twice the mage he could ever hope to be! I don't care how many of your precious gods you summon; Nothing you do can save you!"


	38. Chapter 38 The Final Duel: Rage of the G...

A Note from the Authors: The conclusion of the biggest duel in our story is finally concluding!!! Wahoo! On a strictly technical note, the Rope of Life card was altered to fit the circumstances - please bear with us. And enjoy!! And just so you know, there will be _at least _one more chapter after this (maybe even two) so stay tuned!!!

* * *

Chapter 38

"Final Duel, Part Four: Rage of the Gods- Triumph!"

Yami was seething, teeth clenched as he was forced to swallow the bitterness of the images Jetsu had just shown them. His little daughters crying still rang in his ears, and all at once he realized that the sobbing wasn't just in his head. He jerked his head up, and his gaze landing on his queen. Dedi's head was hung and he could see her body shaking slightly. He wanted to reach her, release her from the bonds Jetsu held her in and hold her close to him. But there was no way to do so as long as the duel was still going on. 

Forcing himself to concentrate on the duel, he looked down at his hand, a plan formulating in his head. "We'll see how confident you feel when this duel is over, Jetsu," he said, setting two cards into their proper slots, "I summon Kuriboh to the field in defense mode and equip him with the magic card Multiply, creating a large army of monsters!"

On the field, thousands of the brown and green fur balls began congregating on the stone floor around Obelisk. They squeaked and clambered over one another, trying to bring themselves up to the God monster's height in vain. "And that ends my turn," Yami said, reaching down to pat the nearest Kuriboh lightly above its eyes. It purred happily. The tiny creatures were not very powerful, but they would prove essential in his plan for victory.

"This is rather pathetic, and the most ridiculous monster-pairing I've ever seen," Jetsu scoffed, "Those puff-balls will bring you no closer to victory…and look, they're starting to annoy your God monster."

It was true, Obelisk was glaring at the mass of fur surrounding it and growling. The gold eye on Yami's forehead glowed briefly and the blue beast quieted. It was under control…for now. Yami couldn't let the God card ignore his authority, or everything would be ruined. He just hoped his magic was strong enough to restrain the gods until he could win.

Jetsu pulled out his next card from his deck (Nightmare Steel Cage), "I play the magic card Nightmare Steel Cage!" A vast, metal cage appeared out of nowhere and trapped Yami and his monsters. Jetsu held up two fingers, "That will give me two more turns to replenish my hand!" The Millennium Shield began to glow at Jetsu's side, the red mark of the Millennium Eye beginning to burn on the Priest's forehead. And unbeknownst to Yami, a faint symbol of the same color began to form on Obelisk the Tormentor's forehead.

Yami frowned as the Kuribohs, now trapped in close quarters, pressed in on him, nearly making him fall over. Her heard Obelisk growl again and quickly drew his next card (Alpha the Magnet Warrior) and then he slapped one card down on the DD2. "I play De-Spell, destroying your-" Yami stopped in the middle of his sentence, mesmerized by what was happening within the cage.

Obelisk was holding its head with its hands and roaring loudly. The Millennium Eye Symbol was burning red upon its forehead and clear, commanding thoughts continued to penetrate through the creature's complex mind. **_Obelisk, destroy the Pharaoh! DESTROY THE PHARAOH NOW!!!!!!!_**

"Yami, lookout!!!" Dedi cried as the God monster began lashing around in a blind rage, first smashing the De-Spell magic card that had appeared on the field and then ramming itself into the steel cage. 

_'We've got to get Obelisk back under control!!'_ Yami heard Yugi's panicked voice in his head, _'If we don't he'll destroy everything!!'_

"OBELISK!!" Yami thundered, the gold eye on his forehead glowing fiercely, "Stop this at once!" The monster turned towards him and Yami saw the eye on its forehead half red and half gold. The poor beast was still roaring in an almost pained sort of way, and Yami knew that the magical battle for control of the mighty beast was causing unneeded strain on it. "Please…" Yami said, more calm, but still forceful, "Don't betray me…do not betray the world you once watched over." 

The blue God monster stood stock still, holding a piece of the broken Nightmare Cage in its hand and breathing heavily. The many Kuriboh were backing away from the much larger, more powerful monster. A few of them decided to hide behind Yami, quivering and cowering at his feet. 

Yami sighed and took another card from his hand, staring at it apprehensively. _It's a risk, but I have to do it. To truly finish this, I have no other choice…_ "Now, I sacrifice three of my Kuriboh to summon the almighty Slifer the Sky Dragon (2000/2000)!" 

It was impossible to tell which three of the Kuribohs had been sacrificed because there were so many of them, but as soon as they disappeared the room began to quake again, as the enormous red dragon materialized on Yami's side of the field, knocking another hole in the ceiling as it tried to stretch out. The numerous Kuriboh that were still on the field had begun to panic slightly, and were clambering to get as far away from the God monsters as possible. 

Obelisk blinked dully at Slifer and let out a low growl, which Slifer answered back with one of its own. Yami breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. They seemed to be getting along…for now. "This ends my turn," he said, to which Slifer destroyed what remained of the steel cage with its long tail.

From across the room, Dedi was staring up at both the God monsters in trepidation. She had read about the God Cards, but never seen them in action before. And with Jetsu's magic arena fueling them, they were actually live creatures…which might or might not prove to be an advantage. Whatever the risks were of resurrecting the Gods, it seemed to be his only option if Yami was going to end it all now.

Jetsu stared at his deck, suddenly feeling fear for the first time. He couldn't lose this duel! If he lost this duel all that he and his ancestors ever worked for would be wasted! He couldn't rely on his deck without any cards in his hand and his last defense gone. The man felt the one card that he kept up his sleeve and let it slide into his hand, "I play Swords of Revealing Light!" Jetsu's magic card appeared on the field and the hundreds of bright Swords formed a barrier around Yami's many monsters.

_'That's impossible!!' _Yugi's voice sounded, _'How could he draw that just when he needed it?? He's gotta be cheating!'_

_ 'That may be so…' _Yami responded mentally, _ 'But we've got no proof of it…and the DD2s don't recognize foul play. There's nothing we can do but wait out the three turns….'_

_ 'And hope the God cards don't get impatient…' _ Yugi added nervously.

"That will end my turn," Jetsu said. He began to stare up at the gods again, wondering how much influence he would have over them if the Pharaoh ordered them to attack him in three turns…

Yami pulled another card from his hand (Celtic Guardian), "I choose to end my turn."

Maeda picked up his card (Royal Magical Library), "I'll set one monster in defense mode (Royal Magical Library (0/2000)) and-"

Suddenly, Slifer reared back in rage, its top mouth opening wide. A wide burst of energy emitted from the god creature and filled the entire chamber with light. 

When Jetsu was able to see again, his monster had revealed itself, acting more like a field card than a monster and transforming the walls into a seemingly endless library, with sunlight pouring in through the direction of the ceiling. Small cloaked figures wandered through the shelves, riding up and down on flat disks supported by glowing green orbs. The stats of the monster decreased to zero rapidly, because of Slifer's effect.

Yami pulled another card (Book of Secret Arts), "I end my turn."

A bead of sweat dropped to the floor. When he had lost control of this duel, Jetsu realized that he had also lost his physiological advantage. There was nothing he could say to the Pharaoh with only the cards he had now (Rope of Life), "I set one card (Rope of Life) and end my turn"

"Not doing much to protect yourself are you Maeda?" Yami smirked triumphantly at his opponent and drew a card (Collected Power), "Now I sacrifice fifteen of my Kuriboh to summon forth the Winged Dragon of Ra (4500/4500)!" As the little creatures vanished from the massive crowd, their spirits conjoined near above the arena in the center of the field, spinning rapidly around and around, until they formed a glowing gold sphere that solidified itself with a sound like heated metal hitting water. The containment pod of Ra hovered above the duelists and their monsters, gleaming from the fake sunlight provided by the Royal Magical Library, the engraved Hieroglyphics standing out very clearly.

Yami opened his mouth and began to chant in Egyptian to summon his monster, but was surprised to hear another voice miming his across the room. Jetsu was chanting the ancient words, his red Millennium Eye shining brightly and branding a portion of Yami's God monster pod with the same symbol.

The Pharaoh concentration doubled and he poured every last bit of magic he could muster into the pod. Seeing her husband's plight from across the room, Dedi closed her eyes, the Egyptian Eye glowing on her forehead as she chanted the words as well.

Through the combined forces of the King and Queen of Egypt, Ra erupted from his pod, shining gold eye on its forehead. Jetsu was knocked backwards by the shockwave of the summoning. Ra roared proudly and landed on the ground, pushing Obelisk and Slifer off to either side of it. The other Gods were not pleased with this at all. Obelisk shoved at Ra, growling, while Slifer bit at his wings with both mouths. 

Highly affronted, Ra let loose a blast of energy that swept across the floor, destroying the heard of Kuriboh and the Multiply card as well as a large portion of the opposite wall. 

* * *

Outside the pyramid, Tea and Mokuba were sitting with their backs against the tan stone wall, watching the Egyptian sunset worriedly while Tristan paced back and forth in front of the door where the finalists had disappeared into that morning. "I can't take this anymore!!" he cried, kicking at the door, "I hate being stuck on the outside!"

Tea sighed. It was no use trying to get him to relax – they had been feeling minor earthquakes all day long, and the later it got, the more she worried that something terrible had happened. More than once that day she had felt a horrible jolt in her heart, and feared the worst for their friends.

Mokuba for his part was trying to stay calm, but the tension was getting to him as well. His thoughts never strayed from his older brother, and he found himself growing nearly as frustrated as Tristan. Being unable to know what was happening was just too aggravating. 

All of a sudden, the ground shook for the umpteenth time that day, and they were all knocked around by the force of it. "Holy shit!!" Tristan cried, "Look at the pyramid!!"

Tea and Mokuba turned, and gasped. A beam of yellow light was shooting out from near the tip of the structure and fading away into the red-orange sky. "What on earth could've happened??" Tea asked, putting a hand over her mouth in shock.

"Well, I'm not gonna stand around and wait to see!" Tristan said, slamming himself up against the door.

"Mokuba, go find help! Quick!" Tea said.

"Right!" Mokuba nodded and dashed off, back towards the city.

* * *

Dedi cringed as debris went flying around her. She had been afraid of as soon as Yami had nearly lost control of Obelisk. The Gods had never gotten along in the ancient past, and it was this rivalry that had originally caused them to start attacking the world they had been meant to protect. And so Yami had given his life to seal them away all those decades ago, and Dedi hoped with all her heart that the past wouldn't be forced to repeat itself.

Jetsu rose up slowly, watching the confrontation unfold before him. He ran a tired hand along the back of his head, wiping away the sweat that was dampening it. Behind his Swords of Revealing Light and his monster, he would be safe form the god's wrath. He sat down and began to hover in mid-air, meditating to replenish some of his lost magical strength.

Meanwhile, Yami was trying desperately to get the Gods to stop fighting amongst themselves. Something about this was horribly familiar, and he was suddenly hearing faded, frightened voices which he could only assume was a dim recollection trying to bring itself to the surface. But he had no time to dwell on it at the moment. Lifting up his good arm, he felt the Millennium Puzzle vibrate against his bare chest as he shouted at his monsters, "Enough of this!! Stop this madness this instant!!"

Slowly, the golden eyes on each forehead burned more brightly and the Gods all turned towards the Pharaoh, each still growling annoyedly, but no longer trying to destroy each other. "That's better…" Yami said as he lowered his hand. He was breathing hard and felt rather drained.

"Are you ready to continue?" Jetsu asked from across the room, not moving from his position.

Yami frowned and nodded, "Yes…I end my turn."

The Swords disappeared, allowing all three of the god monsters to move as far apart from each other as they could. Jetsu pulled his card from his deck (Axe of Despair) and stood up, "Now, I sacrifice my Royal Magical Library to activate Rope of Life, bringing my Mystical Knight of Jackal back to the field with 800 extra attack points from what he was destroyed at!" Out of the ground, holding the flimsy, rope cord was the menacing Jackal, brandishing his katarn once again (4500/1200).

Before Jetsu could finish his move, Slifer the Sky Dragon opened its second mouth and blast the Jackal, causing the monster to fall to the ground at its master's feet (2500/1200). Maeda was horrified, "No… Slifer's second mouth… how could I have forgotten? How?" Angrily, he kicked the poor creature, sending it sprawling away from him.

Yami heard Yugi's triumphant voice ring out through his head, _'All right, Yami! We did it! There's no way for Jetsu to win now!'_

Realizing now that nothing he did would be enough to finish the duel in his favor, Jetsu placed his last card into his Duel Disk 2, "I equip my Jackal with the Axe of Despair!" His eyes were slightly blood-shot and his voice increased in volume with each word he emitted, "If I can't win this duel, then you won't either!" Jetsu raised his hand threateningly and Yami realized what he was about to do.

"NO DON'T-"

The Priest snapped his fingers, and the Jackal rose to its feet and began to sprint towards Dedi. With a cry of absolute rage, Jetsu raised the Shield high in the air and the Millennium Sword glowed red for just a moment before its power was sent to the Shield, sending the Item clattering down to the floor, "**BRING ON YOUR GOD MONSTERS, PHARAOH! NOTHING YOU DO NOW CAN SAVE YOUR FRIENDS!**"

* * *

Deep in the Shadow Realm, the Soul dungeon had begun collapsing in on itself. "What the hell??" Kaiba demanded, dodging a piece of ceiling as it fell inches away from his head.

"Jetsu is using his magic to destroy this realm…" Shadi said, not even moving from his place on the floor, "and us along with it."

"What?!?!" Joey cried, instinctively grabbing hold of Mai as a bit of stone nearly hit her, "What is he – crazy?!"

"Exactly…" Shadi said.

"He must be losing to the Pharaoh…" Vitani said, "Only that would cause this rage to rise in him."

"But what can we do about it?" Athena asked desperately.

"Nothing…" Shadi said, "Everything lies in the Pharaoh's hands now…"

* * *

Yami waved his good arm instructively at the Gods, "STOP HIM!! Slifer – destroy the Jackal! Obelisk and Ra – combine your powers and bring down Maeda once and for all!!" At once, Slifer took off into the air and soared towards Dedi, hitting the Jackal with a blast from its first mouth and disintegrating it seconds before it was about strike. The rock to which Dedi was bound tipped over backwards with a crash that would've been deafening if not for the commotion already going on. 

Then it circled back do float beside Obelisk and Ra, who were combining their energy into one, large blue and gold blast aimed at Jetsu's Shield. Slifer opened both mouths, eager to prove itself to the other two, and combined its red energy with that of the other two, making the stream twice as large. Yami turned to watch their progress, but to his dismay, Jetsu was still safe behind the Shield.

The High Priest roared with laughter, "You're pitiful monsters are no match for the power of my Millennium Shield! The souls of your friends will be long gone by the time your monsters can defeat me!" He took a deep breath, still rigidly holding his last line of protection in front of him, "It doesn't matter that you were able to save your Queen, Yami. She'll have nowhere to go without little Tsuki..."

At these words, Yami felt a huge surge of energy flowing through the Puzzle and he knew that Yugi had snapped. Realizing that the Gods would not be victorious alone, he began channeling the energy Yugi was giving off into strengthening their attack. Harder and harder he fueled them, feeling his bond with his counterpart stronger than ever as they worked together for their common goal.

The struggle seemed to stretch on forever, and Yami began to worry faintly that Yugi's body would not be able to handle the magic that it was emitting. He weakly turned again to look over at his enemy.

Jetsu was holding the Shield up against their attack, thinking over and over, _'It's almost gone. Before I die the dungeon will be gone!' _ When suddenly, there was a resounding crack and he was pushed backwards several feet. As Yami watched, astounded, the ghostly forms of the other Millennium Items began floating out from the crack in the Shield. _'What? No!!' _Jetsu thought. But he could already feel the heat of the Gods attack getting stronger as the spirits he had trapped also began to escape.

As Yami watch, the transparent, unconscious forms of all the other finalists slipped out into the air and vanished through the door behind him, no doubt speeding back towards their bodies. 

Bakura…Yami Bakura…Athena…Vitani…Tsuki…Mai…Joey…Kaiba…Weevil… Shadi…and a few others that he didn't recognize all rushed past, followed lastly by the freed Spirit of Dedi. As she went by him, unable to stay, she reached out a hand and touched his face quickly before being sucked out of the room as well.

It was no longer enough. Without the support of the spirit energy, his Shield couldn't take the strain of the Gods attack. Lastly, the smiling face of what looked like Yugi in a Pharaoh's robe managed to free itself form the Shield. It paused only a moment to smile at Yami and bow to him, and then with a wave of its hand he disappeared.

Yami, despite everything, smiled. His grandson could finally rest in peace. He had actually seen his grandson!

As the heat of the tri-beam force began to overwhelm him, Jetsu's mind began to cloud over. Everything was lost… everything, _'Well,'_ he thought sadly, smiling to himself,_ 'No one will ever again be able to use this Shield of my forefathers, at least they saw to that. Take that, Seline!'_ Then, as if time itself had stopped in its tracks, Jetsu felt the Shield pulled free from his grasp by another surge of energy and everything went bright white.

The Gods attack had knocked the Shield across the room and plowed on right through Jetsu's body, blasting another hole in the far wall. And when the dust settled, there was nothing left. Yami stood there in the strange quiet as the Gods all stood around him, grunted softly and then evaporated into thin air. 

It was all over.

Completely exhausted both mentally and physically, Yami collapsed unconscious on the floor just as Tristan and Tea burst into the chamber.


	39. Chapter 39 The Aftermath of the Final: R...

Chapter 39

"The Aftermath of the Finals: Recovery"

Everything was blurry when Yugi opened his eyes, and he didn't know where he was. He ached all over and he couldn't seem to get his eyes to focus on anything. There were voices around him, but they were hard to make out at first. They sounded kind of familiar…

"Hey…hey I think he's comin' around."

"Yugi! Can you hear me…?"

Yugi blinked hard, trying to see who was calling to him. Slowly, Tsuki became visible. She was standing at the foot of a bed that he realized he was lying in, with bandages on her face and arms, but smiling none the less. "Yugi..." she said, brushing a tear away from her eye, the rest of what she'd wanted to say getting caught in her throat.

"How ya feelin', Yug?" asked the first voice the boy had heard and he turned, wincing as a jolt of pain shot through the back of his head. With a little effort, he was able to see Joey sitting up in a bed next to him, chest and stomach in what looked like a cast, and band-aids covering his arms and face as well.

"I've been better…" Yugi said with a small smile, glad to be with his best friend again, "You don't look so good yourself."

"What this?" Joey gestured at his cast, "I've had worse…"

"As for you," said Mai, propping herself up from the other side of Joey, also covered in bandages, "We've been worried sick about you – you've been out for three days!"

"Three days?" he asked, startled. He tried to sit up, and immediately regretted this decision as his stomach exploded with pain when the skin tissue tried to contract, which would have allowed him to bend. He laid back down quickly, still bewildered, "Three days... Suddenly, he noticed something that made panic rise within him, 'Hey! Where's my Puzzle?"

"Relax, Yug," Joey said, waving a hand dismissively, "Tsuki's been takin' care of it. Ya should've heard the fight she gave the nurses when they tried to take it away…"

Yugi turned his gaze to Tsuki, who had come around the other side of the bed, holding out the Puzzle and blushing. He took it from her with a small, "Thanks…"

From a bed against the opposite wall, Athena caught his eye and gave him a quick thumbs up, "You really did a great job, Yugi. You and Yami both…the whole world is in your debt – and probably not for the first time either."

He laughed a bit, "Well, it was mostly Yami. I hope you're feeling ok, Athena. Jetsu did possess your body for a bit and Yami had to fight one-on-one with you- er, him…" Yugi blinked once, considering, "So, Jetsu is dead, right?"

"Yes…" said Vitani from the bed next to Athena's, "The police could find no trace of him…he was completely destroyed."

"As for me," Athena said, "I'll be fine. I get hurt almost as much sparring with the brother and sister back home."

Yugi moved his eyes past Vitani to the last occupied bed in the room. Kaiba was sitting up, wearing a cast identical to Joey's and his signature scowl. His right hand was heavily bandaged and Kaiba had his unwrapped hand overtop of it, almost protectively. He was staring out the window, apparently engrossed in whatever was outside, so Yugi thought better of trying to talk to him. "So… everyone's okay then?" he asked.

"Pity!" came a familiarly high, annoying voice. Weevil Underwood, complete in blue hospital pajamas, entered the room smirking and adjusting his large, yellow glasses.

"Whadda you want, Underwood?" Joey snapped.

"Just dropping by to see how the world's biggest goody-two-shoes is doing," Weevil said snidely, eyeing Yugi.

"Zip it…" Joey said warningly, "If it wasn't for Yug, we'd all be dead right now."

Weevil frowned, "You think I don't know that?" he said sharply, "I had been planning to thank him, but you've just ruined the chances of that happening." He turned on his heel and left the room.

"I…eh?" Joey blinked, confused for the moment, and then put a hand behind his head sheepishly, "Sorry, Yug…"

"That's all right," Yugi said, "It was almost a thank you…"

"Who needs gratitude like that?" Mai said indignantly.

Yugi had gone back to letting his eyes wander the room, finally resting on the bed on his opposite side, where Bakura was lying, awake but silent. "Hey…" Yugi said, straining to turn his head so that he could look straight at the white-haired teen, "How're you doing, Bakura?"

Bakura forced a smile, "Better when Barak takes over…" he said, "But he thought it best if I try to heal without his help…"

"Barak…?" Yugi echoed.

"That's the name of my spirit…" Bakura said, "He remembered it just yesterday…"

"Oh, wow…" Yugi said, then grinned, "I guess that's better than calling him 'spirit' anymore."

All at once, the spirit of the Ring appeared, sitting on the edge of Bakura's bed, staring coldly at Yugi. "Do you have a problem with my name?" he growled.

"No! Of course not!" Yugi said nervously.

A second later, Yami's transparent form materialized between the two beds. "Is this really the time to be fighting amongst ourselves?" he asked.

Barak just snorted and stuck his nose in the air, vanishing again.

The brief conflict solved, Yami turned towards Yugi. The fourteen-year-old couldn't help but notice how very tired his spirit looked. "I'm very proud of you, Yugi," he said, smiling, "Once again you have helped me defeat a great evil."

"I'm glad I could help," Yugi said, face flushed with pride.

"We could not have defeated Jetsu without you, Yugi. You do realize that, don't you?" Yami asked imploringly.

"I'm not really sure what I did that was all that special…" Yugi admitted.

"You accessed the Millennium Puzzle. I'd call that something," Yami turned, looking over at Tsuki, who was back in her own bed, "You two have a strong connection."

Yugi felt his cheeks grow warm, "Well…yeah…" he said, wondering how much of his inner thoughts Yami had access to.

Yami winked at Yugi, then addressed Tsuki again, "Do you have the Scale with you?"

Tsuki looked up, still a little unused to being addressed by spirits. "Oh – yeah!" she said, reaching under her pillow and pulling the Scale out, "You wanna talk to Dedi, right?" she guessed. 

Instantly, Dedi's spirit formed beside her counterpart on the bed. "Glad to see you awake, Yugi," she said, and then turned to Yami, "Hi, honey." 

"How are you feeling?" Yami inquired, ignoring the preliminary greeting.

"Still a little tired, I guess…but not to bad otherwise," she said, shrugging, "I'm just glad that we're all safe and back together again." She ruffled Tsuki's hair tenderly and the girl smiled.

"Yes…" Yami nodded, "it's a miracle…"

* * *

As the thrill of having the last member of their group among them again wore off, life in the Al Karnak Public Hospital got to be very dull. Talking lost quickly its appeal, and everyone was much too sore to really want to do much anyway, so they drifted in and out of sleep. Occasionally the nurses would come in, talking amongst themselves in Egyptian and bringing food and medicine to them. 

Yugi found that not being able to move actually had its advantages. It had been a while since he'd been able to just think. Usually, the only sounds were the faint noises of the bazaar outside, and he was able to let his mind unknot itself after the stress of the past week. This meditation went mostly uninterrupted until evening, when he was paid a visit by someone very unexpected.

"Shadi!" Yugi gasped, instinctively moving to sit up, but winced and had to lie back down, "What are you doing here?? I thought Jetsu had killed you!"

The Egyptian man looked very unlike himself, dressed in the hospital pajamas and bathrobe, and rolling an IV tower along beside him, with a thin tube joining into one arm. He shook his head, "No I was not killed. Maeda's assistant Vitani could not bring herself to dispose of my body, so it was left in a cell in the pyramid. I assume the officials located me during their investigation."

"Oh…" Yugi said, "Well…that's good, right?"

"Yes," Shadi nodded, "When I awoke I found myself in a room with a very unique young man who calls himself Void…I must say I was rather intrigued by his gift…"

Yugi nodded, not quite knowing where this was going.

"But I digress," Shadi said, as if reading the boy's thoughts, "I snuck out of my room just now in order to bring you this." He held out a hand-made book with the Millennium Eye inked on the front page. "I began working on it as soon as I awoke two days ago. You and you counterpart should find it quite insightful."

Yami appeared beside Yugi on the bed, leaning over to see the book more closely. "What is it?" 

"A complete copy of the scriptures you might have seen engraved on the walls of the pyramid," Shadi said setting the book in Yugi's hands, "I had it all memorized, in case the actual texts were ever destroyed. Now I pass it on to you – it is high time for you to know the things of your past, my Pharaoh."

"Thank you," Yami said.

Shadi bowed. "And now I must go…if the nurses find I have left, they will be most displeased." He said this with what was unmistakably (and uncharacteristically) a grin and then left the room.

Yugi smiled too and waved as the man left, "Well, maybe that'll keep you busy while I sit here and wait for my body to heal, Yami."

Yami took the book from off of Yugi's lap and opened it to the first page, "Shall I read it to you…?" he asked, almost shyly, "To pass the time?"

"Sure."

* * *

A Note from the Authors: Just so you know - this is not the end!! There will be one more chapter after this!! Stay Tuned! 


	40. Chapter 40 The Journey Home

Chapter 40

"The Journey Home"

At the end of the week, everyone was grateful to hear they were going to be released from the hospital that evening. They were all still sore, but the doctors assured them that there was no need to remain bedridden. While most of the others chatted happily, Vitani slipped out unnoticed, and made her way down the halls, something clutched tightly in her fist.

She knocked lightly on the door of Weevil Underwood's room.

The door opened and the boy stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes and placing his glasses upon his face. As soon as the insect master could see, his expression turned dark, "What do you want?" he asked testily, obviously not having forgotten that she could have helped him in that duel that nearly killed him, but chose not to.

Vitani swallowed hard. He had every right to despise her. "May I come in?"

Weevil continued to glare at her, but stepped out of the way and opened the door wider. Rex Raptor was now visible, fast asleep in his chair, a small snot bubble expanding and contracting from his nose as he breathed.

Vitani stepped past him into the room, "I know what you must think of me," she said, "And I don't blame you at all. I also know this doesn't make up for my actions…but I wanted to give something." She let her fist unclench, and out of it, a scarab pendant trapped in an amber stone fell, the thin gold chain still held tightly between her fingers. 

Underwood's eyes widened as he stared into the stone at the insect. Almost mesmerized, he walked slowly up to Vitani, where the little pendant seemed to call out to him. Regaining his composure quickly, he straightened up and held out his hand under the item expectantly.

A small smile of relief curled across Vitani's lips and she dropped the pendant into his outstretched hand. "I know it's not much," she told him, "but don't ever underestimate it."

For a brief second, the bug master was sure that it had glowed for an instant in his hand, but whatever he had seen died away almost instantaneously. He could think of nothing to say to her, so Weevil simply nodded in agreement.

Feeling satisfied that she had accomplished her mission, Vitani headed for the door. As she reached it, Weevil finally found his voice, "Hey, wait a minute…"

"Yes?" she asked, looking back at him.

"This…" he held up the pendant, "Does it have something…special…about it?"

She smiled and nodded, "You will see. Just don't lose it."

He frowned slightly, clearly not contented with her answer, but knowing she would tell him no more. Then he grinned at her, sliding the chain over his head and around his neck. "Thanks…"

"You're very welcome," she said, then turned and left the room.

She had not gone more than a few yards when a hospital official and two Egyptian police officers approached her. The doctor gave her an apologetic look, "I tried to stop them," he said, "but they had a warrant that was activated on the date of your release from us –"

Vitani put up a hand to silence him, her jaw set. She had known this was coming, and she was ready to accept it. She held up her wrists, and one of the officers pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

But before the officer could snap them on, another hand closed its long fingers over her wrist. She looked up to see Seto Kaiba standing beside her, glaring at the men.

"Can we help you, sir?" the second officer asked.

"You can keep your distance from Kaiba Corp. employees," Kaiba said sternly, "Unless you'd like to find your country's oil industry bought out."

The men all exchanged dark expressions before the first officer put away the handcuffs and the both of them stormed away, followed quickly after by the doctor. 

Vitani gaped at Kaiba. This was a man she barely knew, who was in the hospital partly because of her, and yet he had just saved her from what might've been ten years in prison! "Why did you –?" she started.

Kaiba laughed shortly. "You in prison? It's a waste of talent. Besides – I could use a new personnel assistant. I hate to admit it, but running a company completely by myself is sending me to an early grave…Are you interested? If not, I can call those cops back…"

Despite his less than friendly words, Vitani felt a rush of affection for Kaiba, and hugged him tightly around the middle. He was giving her a chance to start over! To clean her slate and make up for all the horrible things she'd done! To live a normal life again. 

For a moment, Kaiba was at a loss for words. Blushing slightly, he pushed her away. "Let's not get carried away," he said hurriedly, "This is a strictly-business offer. Are you in or out?"

"Sorry…" she mumbled, ashamed at herself for losing her self-control, "I accept your offer. When do I start?"

"As soon as we return to Japan," Kaiba said, "And I warn you – no one who's worked closely with me has ever lasted long. Will you be able to handle what I demand of you?"

Vitani nodded, "I can handle anything after…my last employer…" she trailed off, turning her eyes to the floor, her enthusiasm suddenly gone.

"Forget it," Kaiba said, "It'll be wiped from your record. You work for me now, and that's all that anyone needs to know." 

"Thank you…"

* * *

When Vitani returned to the room where she and the others were staying, another thought struck her, "Yugi!" she called.

The boy looked up from the Egyptian book that was hovering in midair near his head, "Yes?"

The woman smiled. The Pharaoh had apparently been reading to him again, "You were the winner of the Egyptian Tournament, so this prize belongs to you." She pulled a crumpled envelope out from the pile of her clothes from the finals, then leaned over and held it out to him.

Yugi carefully tore open the envelope and removed the check containing his $5,000,000 prize. He sighed and called to the other side of the room, "Hey Bakura!"

The white-haired teen turned his head slowly, both black-eyes (the result of his broken nose) focused on the younger boy. "Yes, Yugi?"

"I think I have enough here to pay you back for everything. Here!" Yugi handed the piece of paper to Yami, who walked across the room and placed the check on the bed near Bakura.

Bakura picked up the paper, too overcome with gratitude to speak again. Yugi smiled, "You're welcome."

Joey grinned, "What I tell ya, Bakura? I said we'd pay ya back, didn't I?"

"You meant _ Yugi _would pay him back…" Tristan corrected sarcastically.

"What's that mean?" Joey asked suspiciously.

"It means," Tristan said, leaning against the wall with both of his hands folded behind his head, "That we all knew that you never had a chance at winning!"

"Why I oughta-"Joey started to rage, then inhaled sharply in pain as his excess movement had aggravated his broken arm. Exodia's attack hadn't exactly been a pleasant thing, "If I had use of both my arms I knock the stuffing out of you, Tristan!"

Tristan closed his eyes and stuck his nose in the air, "Lucky me then, right?"

"Come on, Tristan – knock it off," Tea scolded, "Can't you cut him a break?"

"And you," Mai said, adjusting the blankets on Joey's bed, "shouldn't let him get to you like that. I'll bet you dueled at the top of your game in there. Wish I could've seen it though."

"I'll bet you gave Jetsu a real run for his money, didn't ya Mai?"

"Aren't you sweet? Dead wrong…but sweet, still." She kissed him gently on the lips.

"Geez guys!" Tristan started, raising an eyebrow, "Get a room why don't ya?"

Joey blushed, but Mai frowned. "I think _somebody's _jealous," she said.

"WHAT?!" Tristan cried, flushing angrily, "I am _not! _Take it back!"

Mai just laughed, and Tea had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.

Tsuki, who had been trying to remain as quiet as possible when Yami was reading, suddenly burst out in a fit of giggles over the silliness of the situation. 

Unable to ignore the girl's infectious laughter, Athena suddenly burst out laughing with her. It had been so long since she'd laughed; it felt like a dam was bursting inside her. Like a benign virus, the hysterics soon spread through the whole room, until the only one left silent was Barak, standing at the window and scowling.

"Morons…"

* * *

The next morning, everyone was packed and gathered in the Al Karnak airport , waiting for their different flights to be announced.

"I hate to say it," Mai said, "But I'm actually gonna miss this place."

"Yeah, it's not so bad," Joey agreed, "Sure it was full of psycho-maniacs…but I'm willin' to let that go."

"Speaking of psycho-maniacs…" muttered Tristan and Kaiba, Mokuba and Vitani strode past on their way to Kaiba's private jet.

"Bye Kaiba!!" Yugi called, waving.

Mokuba turned and waved back, "See ya later, Yugi!" Kaiba then roughly grabbed his little brother's arm and dragged him off, staggering through the crowd.

"Vitani!" Athena called, "You're sure you don't wanna come home with me?"

The Egyptian woman turned back slightly. "Not yet, Athena. But don't worry – when the time is right, we'll see each other again!" Then she too vanished into the mass of people.

"Boy, this has been some adventure," Yugi sighed.

"You certainly seem to have a habit for attracting trouble," Shadi said, with a small smile.

"We don't try to," Yami said, standing beside Yugi in his translucent form, "Trust me."

"So…what're you gonna do now, Void?" Yugi asked the young man next to Shadi.

Void grinned, "Master Shadi has agreed to take me on as a pupil," he said, "To teach me how to master my…gift." His pale eyes shone as he said the last word, visibly glad to not call it a handicap any longer.

"That's great," Yugi said. Just then a familiar voice called out his name from across the lobby and he turned to find Tsuki (and Dedi) running towards them. As they reached the group, Tsuki flung her arms around Yugi's neck, while Dedi nearly tackled Yami.

"Hey!" Yugi greeted her, elated that he'd be able to see her once more before they had to leave, "Are you going too?"

"Yeah," she nodded, gesturing to her parents, who were waiting for her a little ways off, "We're heading off to America for a few weeks now, and then England after that. But guess what?" she bubbled excitedly, "They said we'll be home in Japan for Christmas and they said that we could visit you if you want!"

"Awesome!" the boy said, smiling. It would be nice to keep in touch. He had grown rather attached to the girl, really. Speaking of attached…

Yami and Dedi were in the middle of making-out, a process that was starting to gross out both of the host body figures. Yugi walked over to Yami and stuck his hand through him, trying to draw his attention, "Ok loverboy, that's enough. Say goodbye already!"

Yami jumped slightly, breaking his lip-lock with Dedi. He blushed, putting one hand behind his head, "Sorry, Yugi…" he mumbled, then said to Dedi, "Until we meet again?"

"I'll be counting the days," she nodded.

Then Tsuki's parents called out to her and both girls ran off, waving, smiling and crying at the same time. As the small group left, the static-filled voice announced a few plane numbers that were boarding presently.

"Guys – I just heard our number!" Tea said, "We'd better go."

As they moved off, Athena grabbed Bakura by the arm and held him back, "Here –" she said, stuffing a small piece of paper into his hand, "Don't forget me, okay?" Before he could answer, she kissed him quickly on the cheek and then dashed off to catch her own flight back to Greece. Bakura stood, dumb-founded, clutching the paper in his fist, as the massive crowd moved around him. 

"Bakura! Come on!" Yugi called, snapping him out of his trance. Still flustered and feeling the burning on his cheek where her lips had been, he hurried after the others.

* * *

Once they were situated on the plane and in the air, Bakura took moment to un-crumple the paper in his hand. Scrawled across it in a handwriting that was beautiful despite the haste it must've been written in were these words:

Bakura,

In the short time I've gotten to know you, I know I'll keep your memory with me no matter how far apart we are. I can only hope you'll do the same. Until we see each other again, you'll be in my heart.

Love always,

Athena Icari

P.S. Feel free to e-mail me anytime. My address is "grecianhunstress@athens.gc"

Bakura read and reread the note over in his mind, feeling his stomach twist around inside him. A small smile spread across his face, and he folded the paper, safely tucking it in his pocket. Then he leaned back in his seat, watching out through the window as the city of Al Karnak grew smaller and smaller beneath them. Beside him in the aisle seat, Yugi had already fallen asleep, still worn out from everything that had transpired.

Behind them, Tea sighed, "Oh man…it'll be good to get back home."

"Yeah…" Tristan nodded, "Hell, we've still got about eight weeks of summer vacation left."

"Wow…" she murmured, "It seems like so much time has passed…"

In response to this, Tristan stretched broadly, bringing his arm around behind her and letting it fall across her shoulders. And, surprisingly, she did nothing to move him. She simply rested her head against his shoulder. Grinning, he let his hold on her tighten, and sat back for what was going to be a nice long flight.

On the opposite side of the aisle, Mai was adjusting the pillow behind Joey's back. "You sure you're comfortable?" she asked.

"I'm fine, honest!" Joey told her earnestly, "Why are ya fussin' about lil' ol' me all of the sudden?"

She shrugged, "Do I need a reason to care about you all of a sudden?" she asked, planting a kiss on the top of his head.

He blushed slightly, "Naw…" he managed to say, mumbling embarrassedly. Suddenly, Joey's ears popped as they headed up even higher, causing him to grunt in annoyance, "Man, I hate this part."

"Here," she held out a stick of gum, "It'll help." She popped a stick into her own mouth as well.

"Thanks," Joey said, turning to look out of his scuffed up airplane window and wait out the period of painfulness.

Mai watched him for a few moments in silence, then reached over and put a hand on his leg, squeezing it just enough to catch his attention.

"Huh?" he asked quickly, turning to look over at her again.

She grinned, "I'm not sure if I've told you yet…but I love you, Joey."

At this, Joey felt cheeks redden a bit and he looked slightly away, "Don't think ya have…"

"Sorry it took me so long to figure it out," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

"That goes double for me," he said. The he took hold of her hand and didn't let go for the rest of the flight.

"You haven't said a thing yet…"

* * *

The landing of the plane hours later marked the start of another sad parting scene. And watching the others in the airport happily leaving for some vacation or other made it even worse. "Well…" Tristan said, as they waited for their bags by luggage track, "It's really over, huh?"

"Yeah…" Yugi said, "And I don't know about you guys, but when I get home, I'm gonna sleep for another couple weeks."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Bakura said.

"How 'bout you, Joey?" Yugi asked, but found no one in the spot where he had left his best friend, "Huh? Where'd he go?"

Tea frowned and pointed. Following her finger, Yugi spotted Joey and Mai a few yards away, speaking so quietly that they were nearly nose to nose.

"Oh…" the fourteen-year-old said.

Unheard by the others, Mai was whispering, "I'm gonna miss you…"

"It's not like we'll never see each other again, Mai." Joey murmured back, trying to keep a positive outlook on things, "Still," he sighed, "It would be nice ta see ya when we're not in life-threatening situations, ya know."

"Yeah…" she agreed, and then reached into her purse, pulling out a scrap of paper and pen. She jotted something down onto it and handed it to him. "Call me sometime, okay?"

"Sure," Joey told her, flashing the young woman a grin.

"Great," she said, then grabbed her duffel bag off the track as it rolled by, swung it over her shoulder and turned on her heel. "See ya later, handsome!" she called back with a small wave as she left.

"Bye Mai!" Joey heard from his best pal Yugi, who was walking up behind him, "See you later!"

"You ready to get out of here, Joey?" Tristan asked, handing the blonde-haired teen his bag.

"You bet," Joey said, pocketing Mai's phone number.

"I'll see you all soon, I expect," Bakura said as they reached the front entryway of the airport.

"Definitely," Tea said.

Barak gave Yami a short nod and followed after his host as the British teen hailed a taxi. When it pulled away, in its place pulled up a van with the Kame Game Shop Logo on the side. "Come on, kids," Solomon Moto called to them from the driver's seat, "Let's go! I can't wait to here about everything!"

The group of friends all exchanged a look and burst out laughing as they headed down their stairs towards their ride home. 

~The End~

* * *

The Final Note From the Authors: Haha! Just kidding. Just the final note for this story. Hope you enjoyed it! Already a sequel is underway!! 

To SulliMike - briefly: See the twist?? See it?? If not, e-mail us please.

To everybody else - Thank you for all your support. Any questions regarding the duels, God Cards, or any other discrepancies you would like to point out, please send them to dana_ja2002@yahoo.com and we will address them as quickly as possible.

Also to all - I consider myself a pretty good artist, but one thing I've never been able to do are big montage cover pages that have fade-ins and special effects and titles and the like. If anyone would like to submit anything, you can send them to the e-mail address above. Any other kinds of fan-arts-of-the-fan-fiction you may have are welcome as well. 

And one final note - if anyone knows of other sites similar to fanfiction.net please let us know, so that we can bring The Egyptian Tournament to others as well. 

Thank you again!! Stay tuned for the sequel!! Until next time this is Invader Sam and Invader Shaun signing off! ^_~ (that was Sam) O-O (that was Shaun)


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